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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26872462">let's hate what our love makes us do</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/deadratz/pseuds/deadratz'>deadratz</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>our hearts need work [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hannibal (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Episode s01e07: Sorbet, Episode s01e08: Fromage, Eventual Relationships, Fake Dating, Fake/Pretend Relationship, First Kiss, Franklyn lives, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Hannibal Lecter is the Chesapeake Ripper, Light Angst, M/M, Season/Series 01, Will Graham Finds Out</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 19:28:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>22,250</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26872462</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/deadratz/pseuds/deadratz</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hannibal Lecter's patient, Franklyn Froideveaux, has been making unwanted advances towards Hannibal. Hannibal enlists the help of Will Graham to get Franklyn to back off. And because he may be kind of in love with Will. </p><p>- Takes place during Season 1, mostly Episodes Sorbet&amp;Fromage</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>our hearts need work [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1967875</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>93</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1063</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi! I've been writing this for a few days now and I wanted to put it all up in one post, but it's getting a lot longer than I originally planned, so chaptered it is. You'll notice that some of the dialogue is taken directly from the show, but with my own spins on it. If it worked, I decided to keep it in. </p><p>Title from .weighted. by frnkiero andthe cellabration. It will probably make sense maybe? </p><p>Also, not beta read so please if anything absolutely looks wrong, let me know.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hannibal Lecter<em> knows </em>he is supposed to be listening to his patients, and giving substantial therapy, but when it comes to treating someone like Franklyn Froideveaux, it is physically painful. The patient hasn’t been overly forward about his advances towards Hannibal, but the advances are still there. The subtle flirtations, and the ploys to garner Hannibal’s companionship. Hannibal sees it, he knows exactly what Franklyn is aiming for when he talks about wanting to be friends. Hannibal knows Franklyn is hinting at more than an innocent friendship, and he always casually steers the conversation in another direction. It wouldn’t be ethical, not that Hannibal is even interested in the first place, but Franklyn hasn’t been bold enough to put Hannibal in a position where he can outright reject the man.</p><p>Every week goes by the same, and every week Hannibal finds himself longingly thinking of ways he can get rid of Franklyn altogether. He knows that he can’t kill one of his patients unless in self defense, and he senses an act of self defense against someone like Franklyn may not be taken seriously. Too risky. </p><p>So when Will comes in for his next session, he opens the door with a smile.</p><p>“Come in, Will.”</p><p>“Hello, Doctor Lecter,” Will says as he walks across Hannibal’s office, shrugging out of his jacket. Hannibal can smell Will’s fever under his awful aftershave when he passes him in the doorway. He thinks about his plans for Will, and wonders if he’s really willing to put all of that on hold for something as simple as stopping Franklyn’s come ons. </p><p>He thinks of his most recent session with Franklyn, where his patient told him he’d be going to the same show at the opera as Hannibal the coming weekend. Of course, Franklyn made it sound like he had no idea Hannibal would be there, but the doctor knew Franklyn knew. Yes, something has to be done about that.</p><p>“Will, I have a favor to ask of you, but please do not feel as though you’re obligated to accept,” Hannibal says as they both settle into their armchairs.</p><p>Will just nods and makes a hand gesture that means to say ‘continue.’ </p><p>“In respect to my doctor-patient confidentiality, I cannot give you many details, but I have a patient, and he has been making unwanted advances towards me,” Hannibal watches Will as he speaks, but Will keeps a straight face, giving nothing away. He continues, “I figured that because you are not officially my patient, and I like to believe that we are friends, it wouldn’t be entirely inappropriate for me to ask if you would be comfortable acting as my date to the opera this Saturday evening. If you are available, of course.”</p><p>“He’s gonna be there?” Will asks. </p><p>Hannibal crosses his legs, “Unfortunately it would be a breach of confidentiality if I answered that question.”</p><p>“So, he’s gonna be there then,” Will can’t help the grin forming on his face. “So, a fake date, then? Well, Doctor Lecter, you’re very lucky that I’m available this Saturday.”</p><p>“Excellent. Wear your nicest suit, please. Arrive at my house by 5:30. We will have a light dinner and drive to the opera together. The performance is to start at 8 pm. Now with that out of the way,” Hannibal changes the subject of the conversation, and for the rest of the hour they discuss Will and his work. </p><p>--</p><p>On Saturday Will shows up to Hannibal’s house and knocks on the door at exactly 5:30. Hannibal suspects he arrived a few minutes early and waited to knock on the door until his watch stuck the agreed upon time, but he doesn’t mention it to Will. He opens the door and takes in the sight in front of him. Will is wearing an all black two-piece suit, with a black button down shirt underneath his buttoned suit jacket. The only bit of color his attire has is the blood red tie around his neck.</p><p>“I hope this is okay. I couldn’t decide between a black or red tie, so I flipped a coin,” Will smiles, as Hannibal moves out of the way to invite him into his home. He wants to tell Will he looks good, great even, but he pushes down those thoughts, and reminds himself that this is not a real date. </p><p>“The coin chose wisely. However, it was only given good options, so that is hardly a surprise,” Hannibal says, leading Will to the dining room. </p><p>“You’re wearing a tux,” Will points out.</p><p>“Yes. I am,” Hannibal responds.</p><p>“Am I going to look underdressed?” </p><p>“Absolutely not. Your ensemble is perfectly suitable for the opera,” Hannibal assures him. He pulls out a chair at the dining table for Will. “Sit. I’ll bring dinner out.”</p><p>Hannibal goes into the kitchen and finishes plating their meals. He takes a minute, allowing himself to think about Will in his black suit and red tie. The man has no idea what he looks like, if he wasn’t sure he’d be dressed properly for the opera. He could wear a potato sack and still look better than everyone else in the building, Hannibal is sure of it. </p><p>He makes himself stop thinking about it and brings the plates into the dining room, placing one in front of Will. </p><p>“Sirloin steak and fresh asparagus. Perhaps the most simple thing I have cooked in a while, but something easy was best.” In fact, the simplicity went as far as the source of the meat actually being from an animal, purchased from an actual butcher, instead of his usual source. Hannibal had decided that on such a short notice, with only so much time to get ready for the night and cook, going out on a hunt for a worthy victim wasn’t in his best interest. No use risking getting caught before an event he was looking forward to. </p><p>“You said light dinner. I wouldn’t exactly call steak a light meal,” Will says. As if to not sound rude, he quickly adds, “looks great as always, though.”</p><p>Hannibal smiles, but doesn’t say anything. The two men sit in silence while they eat, and when they’re both finished, and Hannibal is clearing the table, Will follows him into the kitchen where he’s setting the dishes in the sink to be washed later. </p><p>“So why me? I mean why not ask Alana. You two have known each other a lot longer,” Will questions.</p><p>“Ah. Alana would likely not be as agreeable to a plan such as this. She would find it entirely unprofessional and would suggest I give this patient a referral immediately. The issue is that he may take that as a hint in the opposite direction of what I would wish to achieve,” Hannibal explains. He grins at Will. “Besides, I enjoy your company.” </p><p>“You’re not worried about all of your fancy rich friends thinking you’re gay?”</p><p>“Are <em> you </em> worried about all my ‘rich fancy friends’ thinking <em> you </em> are gay?” Hannibal answers with a question of his own.</p><p>Will glares at him. “I couldn’t care less what any of these people think, but I asked you first.”</p><p>“You did. We are on the same page about not caring what these people think. Regardless, anyone that matters will already know that I do not have a preference in regards to sex or gender, rather that I appreciate things that are beautiful. Beauty knows no gender.”</p><p>“Beauty, huh? Then they’re gonna be confused why I’m with you then,” Will says, leaning against the counter, Hannibal standing a few feet away. </p><p>“Nonsense,” Hannibal looks at his watch. “We must be going if we want to make it on time.”</p><p>Hannibal doesn’t wait for Will to respond, and walks to the mudroom, where he grabs his car keys out of the bowl he keeps them in and walks into the garage. He unlocks his Bentley with a click of the fob and gets into the driver’s seat. Will is following close behind and shuts the door to the house before getting into the passenger seat. </p><p>“So what exactly do I have to do tonight?” Will asks once they’re on the road.</p><p>“Just pretend you’re enamoured with me. Perhaps subtle touches. Anything a real couple may do in a sophisticated public setting. I will point out my patient, and you will only really need to pretend if we are within his line of sight,” Hannibal tells him. “And, Will, if anything I do makes you uncomfortable, please tell me.”</p><p>“Okay,” Will nods.</p><p>They arrive and Hannibal parks the car in a parking structure a block away. Hannibal and Will walk through the chilly Baltimore air side by side. Not close enough to be touching, but almost. Hannibal desperately wishes he could reach out, but there’s no one around to see them for it to be necessary. When the front of the building is in sight, Hannibal decides he can close the gap by pulling Will’s hand into his own. Will’s step falters and he looks at Hannibal, then down at their hands.</p><p>“Just for appearances, Will,” Hannibal smiles.</p><p>“Yeah, right. I know.” Will laces their fingers together, and Hannibal gives his hand a squeeze. Hannibal knows he’s being selfish, asking Will to do this. His feelings for Will are not something he’ll deny to himself, but they’re also not likely to be made known to Will himself. </p><p>Once inside, Hannibal extracts his hand from Will’s and places it on the small of his back instead, directing him through the building to a bar. There’s time before they need to take their seats, and people are milling about, socializing and bragging about their latest luxurious vacations and new cars. Hannibal knows he fits in with these people from a socioeconomic standpoint, and it’s best to integrate himself into this society, but he can’t help but feel these people are rude and dishonest with themselves. He loves the opera, and the audience is just something that comes along with it. </p><p>Hannibal doesn’t see Franklyn anywhere yet, but he stays close to Will, both for his own selfish reasons, and because he knows Will is not in his element at all. Really, Hannibal’s surprised Will even agreed to come with him in the first place. He’s not much a fan of people, or socializing, and he’s not even wearing his glasses to hide behind. Hannibal orders a glass of wine for himself, and one for Will, which gets him a thankful smile in return when Will takes it. </p><p>Hannibal directs Will to a place out of the way of other people, but not private enough where he can’t keep a lookout for Franklyn. Out of the corner of his eye he spots and leans in close to whisper in Will’s ear. “My patient is standing near the bathroom. Short, dark hair, beard.”</p><p>Will nods and glances over, as subtle as he can. He leans into Hannibal’s ear. Will whispers, “He’s staring at us.”</p><p>“We will ignore him. As his doctor, it would be inappropriate for me to approach him in public without his consent.”</p><p>Will nods and finishes off his glass of wine. Hannibal, not even halfway done with his own, takes Will’s empty glass out of his hand and replaces it with his own, knowing Will needs it more than he does. Will looks grateful for it. </p><p>None of Hannibal’s friends approach him while he and Will stand there. The two men are close to each other, and to others it appears they’re having a private moment that shouldn’t be interrupted. Really, they’re just talking about Will’s latest cases, a conversation much like one they’d have in Hannibal’s office. When the voice on the overhead speaker announces the performance will be starting shortly, Hannibal takes both glasses back to the bar. When he returns, he offers his arm, which Will takes. </p><p>They sit in their seats and wait, no words shared between them, and no touches either. Will turns to look around a few times, but doesn’t seem to see anything important. </p><p>When the performance starts, Hannibal lets himself be taken by the music, absorbing every note. He forgets Will is even next to him until he feels a hand on his thigh, and a head on his shoulder. Hannibal’s eyes snap open and he looks down at Will’s head, and then the hand. His stomach flutters, and he can’t believe he, a man in his late forties, is getting butterflies. </p><p>Will moves his head from Hannibal’s shoulder and whispers in his ear, “He’s been staring at us since we sat down.”</p><p>Hannibal nods, and puts an arm around Will’s shoulders, pulling him in closer. He puts his other hand over Will’s, where it sits on his leg, and Will puts his head back on Hannibal’s shoulder. It feels safe, warm, comfortable. Hannibal knows it’s not real, but it satisfies him well enough. For a monster like him, it would be difficult to have this in a real capacity, especially with someone who is trying to put him behind bars, and would if he only knew who Hannibal was. Regardless, he can’t help but long for these touches to mean something more than it does.</p><p>As the last note rings out, Hannibal is the first to stand up in applause, Will following immediately after. When the applause dies out, Hannibal grabs Will by the hand and leads him out of the theater, back into the open area by the bar. He orders both of them a glass of champagne and they move off to the side.</p><p>“Dr. Lecter!” A woman’s voice rings out. He turns to see an old friend, Mrs. Komeda, moving towards him. He smiles and puts an arm around Will’s waist. “And who’s this?” She asks.</p><p>“This is Will Graham. Will, Mrs. Komeda,” Hannibal introduces them.</p><p>“It’s been too long since you’ve properly cooked for us, Hannibal.” Mrs. Komeda says after introductions have been made. </p><p>“Come over and I will cook for you,” Hannibal smiles. </p><p>“I said properly. That means dinner and a show,” she teases. She turns to Will. “Have you ever seen him cook? It’s an entire performance. He used to throw such exquisite dinner parties. You heard me. Used to.”</p><p>“I will again. Once inspiration strikes,” Hannibal smiles warmly. He spots Franklyn out of the corner of his eye and pulls Will closer to him. “I cannot force a feast, it must be presented.”</p><p>Will snorts next to him, and Hannibal turns his head and raises an eyebrow. “It’s a dinner party, not a unicorn, Hannibal.”</p><p>“Oh, but dear Will, a feast is life, you should know this. You put the life in your belly and you live.”</p><p>This satisfies the small group of people that have formed around Hannibal and Will. Franklyn is still standing among them, clearly trying to get Hannibal to notice him. He’s not the only one to see the man, because Mrs. Komeda says, “I believe this young man is trying to get your attention.”</p><p>Hannibal turns and shakes Franklyn’s hand. “Hello,” he smiles. He says it as if he doesn’t really know Franklyn.</p><p>“Nice to see you. This is my friend Tobias,” Franklyn says, gesturing to the tall man standing next to him. Hannibal shakes his hand. </p><p>“How do you two know each other?” Mrs. Komeda asks, watching the interaction carefully, nosy almost.</p><p>“Ah there should be some mystery to my life outside of the opera,” Hannibal responds.</p><p>Franklyn doesn’t take the hint, “I’m one of his patients,” he turns and looks at Will. “And who’s this?” </p><p>“Will Graham, nice to meet you,” Will smiles and holds out a hand to shake. Franklyn accepts it, hesitant.</p><p>“And how do you two know each other?”</p><p>“Will is my boyfriend,” Hannibal says. He doesn’t wait for Franklyn to respond, and asks, “Did you enjoy the show, Franklyn?”</p><p>“Loved it. Every minute.”</p><p>Tobias smiles, “It seemed he was more interested in looking at you than he was the stage.”</p><p>Franklyn glares at Tobias, but doesn’t say a word.</p><p>“Don’t say too much. We must leave something to talk about in our next session, Franklyn.” </p><p>Franklyn nods and after a quick goodbye, he and Tobias leave the circle of people.</p><p>Hannibal looks at everyone. “Who’s hungry?” </p><p>Mrs. Komeda makes an excited noise and promises to be at the dinner party whenever it is. After their goodbyes, Hannibal introduces Will to a few more of his friends, before they leave for the car.</p><p>“That wasn’t so bad,” Will says, settling into the passenger seat. “It was kind of creepy that he kept staring at us all night, though. Do you think he’ll lay off since you told him you’re taken?”</p><p>“We’ll have to see. Franklyn is much more focused on me than on his therapy, so it’ll likely come out in his next session.”</p><p>Hannibal drives them back to his house and invites Will in for a drink, an offer which is declined. “I have to get home to the dogs.” He says as a form of apology. He leaves in his car, and a somewhat disappointed Hannibal goes to his kitchen, looking through his rolodex of business cards and his box of recipes in preparation for his upcoming dinner party. </p><p>---</p><p>Next time Hannibal has a session with Franklyn, the man pushes even harder to get into Hannibal’s personal life. Hannibal answers his questions with other questions, or with the change of a subject. </p><p>When he asks, “How did you and your… boyfriend meet?” Hannibal decides to tell the truth.</p><p>“He works for the FBI, we were on the Hobb’s case together, surely you’ve heard of it. Will is the person who stopped Garrett Jacob Hobbs and I was asked to do an evaluation on him afterwards. We got along well,” Hannibal explains. It doesn’t hurt to share, seeing as most of it is public knowledge anyways that could be found on Tattlecrime if Franklyn were so inclined to look. Hannibal watches the other man carefully for his reaction.</p><p>“So… he was a patient, then?” Franklyn asks. Hannibal can smell the jealousy mixed with hopefulness.</p><p>“Not officially,” Hannibal shakes his head. “Let’s stop talking about me, Franklyn. This is your hour, not mine.”</p><p>Franklyn nods.</p><p>“Why don’t you tell me about your friend Tobias?” Hannibal prompts.</p><p>“Tobias is my best friend,” Franklyn starts. “I don’t think I’m his, though. Getting him to the opera was a struggle. I was sure he’d bail on me.”</p><p>“He went, though. Surely that is a good thing.”</p><p>Franklyn shrugs. He’s clearly not interested in talking about Tobias today. “I was trying to get your attention. Stand in your peripheral, but not directly in your line of sight.”</p><p>“I was aware of that,” Hannibal confirms.</p><p>“I knew you were aware. You pretended you weren’t, though. It felt like rejection.” Franklyn’s looking down as he speaks.</p><p>“It would be unethical for me to approach a patient or otherwise acknowledge our relationship outside of this room without their consent.” </p><p>“I don’t even know what you’re like outside of this room,” Franklyn says.</p><p>“I’m your psychiatrist.” Hannibal’s voice is firm, final, but he offers a warm smile.</p><p>“That feels like rejection.” </p><p>“And why is that?” Hannibal asks, feigning ignorance of the situation.</p><p>“Because I want to be your friend! I’m a great friend. I think we’d get along well. We actually like the same things. Does your boyfriend even <em> like </em> opera? He didn’t seem to care about it at all.” Franklyn’s moving in dangerous territory, his usual bad subtlety becoming even worse. Hannibal checks his watch and sighs in relief.</p><p>“Sorry Franklyn, but your hour is up. I’m your psychiatrist, not your friend. Nothing more, either.” Hannibal stands up and walks over to the exit door, holding it open for Franklyn. The man looks like a kicked puppy as he puts on his coat and walks out of the door sulking.</p><p>“I’ll see you next week, Franklyn,” Hannibal smiles.</p><p>“Yeah,” Franklyn sighs and leaves. Hannibal ignores the rudeness, pushes down all of his homicidal thoughts, and goes to sit at his desk until his next appointment. </p><p>Later on during his appointment with his psychiatrist, Hannibal decides he wants to bring up the topic of Will Graham. He can’t talk to Will about it, he certainly cannot bring it up to Alana unless he wants to be crucified. No, he can only talk about it in his own therapy. Sitting down in their chairs across from each other, Bedelia begins by talking about something he hardly listens to, something about him being behind a human veil, not really letting people in, something about loneliness and being a complicated person.</p><p>“I have friends, and the opportunity for friends,” he says. Bedelia eyes him suspiciously. “You and I are friendly.”</p><p>“Yes and when your hour is up I will pour you a glass of wine, but I will be drinking it on this side of the veil.”</p><p>“Why do you bother?”</p><p>“Because I see enough of you to see the truth of you. And because I like you,” she smiles. “Now something must be on your mind.”</p><p>“I have a friend who is pretending to go on dates with me, to make one of my patients cease his advances towards me,” Hannibal comes out with it.</p><p>“Why not just give this patient a referral? Send him on his way?” Bedelia asks, raising an eyebrow. </p><p>“I do not wish to make him think it’s because I want something other than a doctor-patient relationship,” Hannibal shrugs. </p><p>“That’s not all though, is it?” Bedelia questions. </p><p>“No. I very much like this friend. Will Graham,” Hannibal explains. “He’s very different from me, but still very similar. I see a potential partner in him, but I do not think he feels the same way.”</p><p>“You think he won’t be able to see you properly, how you’re able to see him,” Bedelia says. It’s not a question. She has a way of knowing the words Hannibal leaves unsaid. </p><p>Hannibal just nods. </p><p>“As your psychiatrist, I would advise you not to do this. You’re using him to fulfill your need for companionship and intimacy, regardless of the authenticity or true nature of your relationship with him. He is unaware of your feelings, and may see it as being taken advantage of if they come to light,” Bedelia warns. “But as your friend, I cannot tell you to stop pursuing someone you feel a connection with for the first time in a while.”</p><p>Hannibal thinks about that for a second. He knows Bedelia is correct, and that he shouldn’t be doing this, but when has he ever done things he should be doing? Afterall, his hobbies are considered wrong by… well, most people. </p><p>“I believe I will be taking the advice of my friend, not my psychiatrist.”</p><p>“Very well,” Bedelia says and looks at her watch. She stands up and as she walks away she says, “Red, or white?”</p><p>Hannibal smiles, “I think something pink, don’t you?”</p><p>They drink their wine together, Hannibal on one side of the veil and Bedelia on the other. </p><p>That night, when Will arrives for his regular appointment time, he looks at Hannibal curiously. </p><p>“Have you been drinking?” he asks, taking off his coat and sitting down in his armchair. </p><p>“Yes, I had a glass of wine with my last appointment.”</p><p>“Drinking with a patient?” Will smiles.</p><p>“I’ve drank with you,” Hannibal points out. “And no, she was drinking with a patient. I have a rather unconventional psychiatrist.”</p><p>“We have that in common,” Will laughs. “Although I’m not really your patient, am I? We just have conversations. And go out on dates.”</p><p>“Yes, well. If that’s the case then I suppose a glass of wine before an evening appointment wouldn’t be so wrong.” Hannibal goes to grab another glass, refilling his own, and bringing a glass to Will, who reaches out and takes it. Their fingers brush together briefly, and Hannibal has to stop himself from lingering too long on the contact. </p><p>“So I heard the Ripper has struck again?” Hannibal asks. He read about the killer who has been taking organs from victims with surgical precision.</p><p>“It’s not the same guy,” Will says, taking a sip of his wine. Hannibal forces himself not to smile. Leave it to Will to see past the brutalization of these victims, the way they were cut into, and see the lack of art and sophistication that he, the real Chesapeake Ripper, shows with his kills. </p><p>They talk about the case, which helps Will draw his own conclusions on it. Organ harvesters. Hannibal is more than glad to help Will uncover what these killers are doing, why, just so long as it doesn’t lead Will to the Ripper.</p><p>Following his appointment with Will, Hannibal decides it’s time to start actually preparing for his dinner party. He gets in his spare car and follows Andrew Caldwell on his way home. Andrew takes a lonely road, no one and nothing for miles, and Hannibal uses that to his advantage. When Caldwell’s car rolls to a stop due to complications, as planned, and he gets out of his car in a fit of rage, Hannibal stops behind him and gets out of his own car.</p><p>“Need any help?” He offers. He’s not really going to help. </p><p>Hannibal doesn’t listen as he stalks towards his victim. He quickly subdues him and throws him onto the tarp in the trunk of his car. When he has Caldwell dead and sliced up how he wants him, he brings the mutilated corpse to a busyard, where he paints a picture that is so undeniably his, that Will Graham will know just by a glance who left this tableau.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This first chapter doesn't end here for any special reason, I just really wanted to get this out. I have this, plus about 5000 words farther into the fic already written, but I have to write everything in between. No set posting schedule, just whenever I get things done.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Later on in the week, Hannibal finds himself at the grocery store looking at the different cheeses. Out of the corner of his eye he spots Franklyn, about twenty feet away. The man is clearly pretending not to see Hannibal as he meanders closer to the cheese case. </p><p>Hannibal, unsure if Franklyn is stalking him, or if it’s just a very odd coincidence, makes a quick decision and pulls out his cell phone, hitting dial when he finds the name he’s looking for. He hopes he’s not interrupting anything, and prays the phone will be answered, because now Franklyn is too close, and it would look too obvious if Hannibal walked away, no matter how much he wants to. </p><p>Hannibal exhales the breath he didn’t realize he was holding when Will answers. Hannibal had figured he was either at a crime scene, mind occupied by the result of Hannibal’s late night excursion, or that he was in the classroom teaching his students about other killers.</p><p>“Hello?” Will questions. </p><p>“Hello, darling,” Hannibal takes a risk, hoping Will picks up on the hint. “I am at the store right now, and I was wondering if there was anything you needed.”</p><p>Will, who never misses anything, laughs in response. “Is he stalking you or something?”</p><p>“Yes, I believe so,” Hannibal says, picking up a type of cheese and reading the label. “Yes, they do have that one,” Hannibal says, pretending Will asked for it. He puts it in his basket, and can see Franklyn in his periphery, still standing a few feet away. </p><p>“You can keep me on the phone as long as you need to,” Will says. “They have me out at a Ripper scene and I need a bit of a distraction anyways. Jack wants answers I don’t have, but if I tell him that, he won’t like it. So I said this call was important. Might even say it’s an emergency and that I have to leave.”</p><p>“Does that mean you’re available this evening?” Hannibal asks, voice edging on flirtatious. “Come over for dinner, and we can spend some time together.”</p><p>Will laughs again. “That dinner invite better not just be a front. I’ll actually come by for dinner if you’re offering.”</p><p>“Of course, you’re welcome any time, Will,” Hannibal smiles, and adds more to his basket. He’s been walking slowly through the store as he talks, and he can see Franklyn is still hanging around. “Dinner at 6? I’ll be home soon in about half an hour if you want to stop by earlier.”</p><p>“What time is it now? Your call ripped me right out of the Rippers brain and I don’t even know how long I was in it,” Will sounds bothered by that.</p><p>“It’s half past 2 right now,” Hannibal says, looking down at the watch on his wrist.</p><p>“Yeah I’m going to tell Jack I need to leave, go home and change, and then I’ll come over.” Will says. “Is he still around?”</p><p>“Yes, but I think it will be okay. I will see you later,” Hannibal smiles into the phone, knowing Franklyn is looking. He says, slightly louder, just to make sure Franklyn hears him, “I love you.”</p><p>Will laughs on the other side of the call. “Yeah, I’ll see you, Doctor Lecter,” his voice is teasing, but not rudely mocking. Hannibal ends the call and walks to the checkout briskly, his long legs giving him an advantage in his quest to lose Franklyn. </p><p>Hannibal goes home and gets ready for his dinner with Will, excited that he not only accepted that offer, but saw through it being fake and jumped at it. </p><p>Halfway through putting away his groceries when his phone rings. He sees Will’s name on caller idea and hesitates for a second, scared that he’ll answer to Will cancelling on him. When he answers, he’s relieved to know that isn’t the case. Usually Hannibal is in no way insecure about people, or if they’ll pull out of plans, but with Will it’s different. Maybe Franklyn just got into his head about Tobias being unreliable, but he pushes that thought down.</p><p>“Hey, I’m leaving my house now, I should be there in about an hour,” he says. “Should I bring anything?”</p><p>“Just yourself, Will. I’ll see you in an hour,” Hannibal says, hanging up the phone without waiting for a response. </p><p>Hannibal waits another forty minutes before beginning to cook. When Will shows up, and rings the doorbell, Hannibal wipes his hands off on a towel and goes to the front door, welcoming him inside. </p><p>“I felt weird not bringing anything,” he says, holding up a bottle of red wine. He holds it out to Hannibal, who takes it and examines the label. Surely Will just picked the most expensive bottle, not caring if it was actually good or not, but Hannibal doesn’t mention it. Will shrugs out of his coat and hangs it up on a hook. Hannibal notices that he’s wearing nice slacks and a button down shirt. He dressed up special for the occasion. Hannibal tries not to think anything of it.</p><p>“We can drink this while we prepare dinner,” Hannibal smiles warmly.</p><p>“Am I helping you? I’m not much of a cook,” Will frowns.</p><p>“Yes, you’re helping me, and don’t worry I will tell you exactly what to do,” Hannibal is walking back towards the kitchen as he says it, Will close behind. </p><p>Hannibal washes his hands, and finds an extra apron for Will, who takes it and wraps it around his waist. He unbuttons and rolls up his sleeves to his elbows, and Hannibal can’t help but watch as he does it. After Will washes his hands, Hannibal hands him a knife and points to a pile of onions next to a cutting board.</p><p>“Dice those, please.”</p><p>Will nods and does as he’s told. Hannibal pulls two wine glasses from a cupboard and pours them each a glass of the wine Will brought with him. </p><p>Will takes a sip, and continues chopping the onions. “You know you could tell the police you’re being stalked by your patient.”</p><p>“He’s threatened no bodily harm, and I do not know for sure if he’s stalking, or if it’s a coincidence.”</p><p>“Yeah, well you’re lucky I wasn’t in the middle of a lecture. Just a Ripper scene that I was already standing in front of for way too long,” Will says. </p><p>“Are you losing time in these recreations?” Hannibal questions. He knows Will’s suffering from encephalitis, and he’s wondering just how bad it’s getting, whether he’s losing time or not. </p><p>Will just shrugs. “I just know I was standing there for a really long time.”</p><p>Hannibal hums in acknowledgment. He can tell Will’s not in the mood to talk about work, and he doesn’t want to push, especially where the Chesapeake Ripper is involved. </p><p>Hannibal changes the subject. “Will you be in attendance for my dinner party?”</p><p>“Are you friends from the opera going to be there?”</p><p>Hannibal nods, “Alana and Jack, as well.”</p><p>“Are your friends going to be suspicious if we’re not acting as a couple? I know Alana would throw a fit if she thought we were together or if she knew what we were doing.”</p><p>“I’ll tell them that we are keeping our relationship private from our colleagues. They won’t push it, and we won’t have to act as a couple in front of them,” Hannibal assures.</p><p>“They’re going to think we’re having some sort of an affair,” Will practically mutters.</p><p>“Why don’t we?” Hannibal winks.</p><p>“Are you flirting with me, Doctor?” Will laughs. </p><p>“Only joking,” Hannibal smiles. “Do not worry, my friends know when something is not their business. Besides, it’s hardly unheard of to keep a relationship between two men a secret from certain people.”</p><p>Will nods in agreement. Or maybe in surrender, because he knows Hannibal won’t let him come up with an excuse to get out of the dinner party. If Hannibal has to drive to Wolf Trap before the party and force Will into a suit, and drive him back to Baltimore, then he’ll do it. Hannibal wonders what it says about him that he doesn’t care if no one else comes, as long as Will does. He ignores the thought.</p><p>They eat together in a comfortable silence, with the occasional praise from Will about the food. Hannibal just smiles and nods. The way Will eats tells him he doesn’t usually feed himself well, which is no surprise considering how busy he gets, and how he’s starting to lose time. Hannibal decides he needs to ask Will about that at some point, how he wasn’t sure how long he was inside the Ripper’s head. If it gets to be too much, and Will can’t keep showing up or answering every time Franklyn is around, then the plan will be for nothing. </p><p>Hannibal, of course, had other plans for Will. The idea of framing him for several murders and making him think Abigail is dead by his own hand becomes less and less appealing the more time the two men spend together. Hannibal knows if he wants to see Will embrace his instincts, he’ll likely have to find a new route to take to help Will get there. He knows he doesn’t have to make any decisions yet, but as he finds himself actually caring for Will, he feels the need to hint at Will’s physical illness, and monitor it until it gets to be too much. If he gets worse, then that’s when Hannibal can make his own decision. </p><p>For now, though, his care for Will, his need for human connection, outweighs any urge to carry out those types of plans.</p><p>“Will, I know you were avoiding talking about work, earlier, but I must ask you about our conversation earlier” Hannibal says, while they’re both in the kitchen washing dishes. Hannibal washes by hand, while Will dries and sets them to the side. They’re standing side by side, arms nearly touching between them, but not quite. In their closeness, Hannibal can feel the warmth of Will’s skin radiating off of him.</p><p>Will doesn’t stop drying, or say anything in response, so Hannibal goes on, “You said you weren’t sure how long you were in the reconstruction. Are you losing time?”</p><p>Will’s voice is quiet when he responds. Hannibal is just barely able to hear him.</p><p>“I’ve been having days where I don’t know how I got to work, or home. It’s like I’m moving through life in my sleep.”</p><p>“And are you sleeping well?”</p><p>“Is this a therapy session?” Will shoots back, an edge in his tone. He’s stopped drying the glass in his hand. He looks down at his hands, “Sorry.”</p><p>“It’s quite alright, Will.” Which is true, but if anyone else had spoken to him like that, they’d be put in his rolodex, and one day, his fridge. “And no, I’m not asking as your psychiatrist. I am concerned for you as a friend.”</p><p>“I know, I’ve just been on edge, because no I haven’t been sleeping well. Sleep walking, nightmares. Plus I have to deal with this organ harvester, and the Ripper at the same time. Can’t these killers just communicate with each other and take turns?” Will asks, his voice light, an attempt at humor. </p><p>Hannibal knows Will is trying to joke about it, but he still takes in what he says and listens to the hint of seriousness. Naturally, Will would want the killers to give him a break if they could, and he would tell them to if he could, so it’s a good thing he just did. Hannibal has one more person he needs to kill for his party, but he supposes he can wait until after the organ harvester is caught, instead. Give Will a chance to catch his breath and his head before he gets sent back out into the field for something Hannibal’s done.</p><p>“If the stress of being in the field, and working on these cases is too much, why don’t you take time off? Go back to just teaching in your classroom. Surely Jack Crawford would understand.” Hannibal suggests. He knows it’s not the stress of the cases, but he’ll let Will keep thinking his affliction is purely mental until his decision is made.</p><p>Will shakes his head. “It’s not about Jack. It’s about me saving lives. If I stop now, I won’t be able to just sit in my classroom and hear about these cases from other people.”</p><p>“As both a friend, and a psychiatrist, I would really advise taking time off to get sleep at the very least. I cannot force you into anything, though.”</p><p>They finish washing the dishes, and Will decides it’s time to leave. Hannibal sees him to the door and tells him he’ll see him at their appointment and Will nods, turning and walking out the door.</p><p>Hannibal doesn’t kill anyone again in the coming days. It’s cutting it real close to breaking the pattern of the Ripper, and he knows if he wants people to see the kills as him, he can’t wait long. If they think it’s another killer, then that just adds more cases onto Will’s already piled high plate. </p><p>By the time Franklyn’s next appointment comes around, Hannibal’s nearly forgotten about the day at the grocery store. The reminder comes when Franklyn says, “I’ve discovered we’re both cheese-folk.”</p><p>Ah, another way to get closer to Hannibal, and seem more interesting than he is. Having an affinity for cheese is not in Hannibal’s Top 20 Reasons for Becoming Friends With Someone list. Probably not even Top 50. Still, he figures it’s a safe topic, and it is Franklyn’s hour after all, so he encourages him to continue with a nod and a smile.</p><p>“I saw you buying cheese. I was going to say hello, but you were on the phone,” Franklyn laments. </p><p>“Yes, well. I’m sorry to have missed you. I must have been distracted.”</p><p>“I’d say so.” Franklyn agrees. Hannibal can hear something that sounds like jealousy. </p><p>The rest of the session goes by how they normally do. Hannibal tries to steer Franklyn away from conversations that involve talking about Hannibal, and towards conversations that focus on Franklyn, but his patient keeps finding ways to circle back to the doctor. This circling goes on for the entire hour and Hannibal is grateful when the watch on his wrist tells him their time is up.</p><p>He has a few more sessions that day before Will’s scheduled time, and gets through them easily. Between his last patient, and the hour leading up to Will’s, he catches up on writing notes, and reviewing them, and looks through the notes for his patients he’ll be seeing in the next few days.</p><p>At 6:30, he looks at his watch and gets up to open the door for Will, but there’s no one in the waiting room. Will’s never been late, nor has he ever cancelled without 24 hour notice, so he finds himself worrying about the man. He props the door open and waits a few more minutes, hoping Will is going to show up, but when it’s apparent he will not, Hannibal puts all of his notes away, and grabs his jacket and keys. He could easily call Will, but he has a feeling the man will pretend everything’s fine with him. This way he can see any issues without Will’s protests that he’s okay.</p><p>He decides he’ll check Will’s house first, and if he’s not there, he’ll check Will’s classroom at Quantico. It takes him just under an hour to reach Will’s farmhouse, and he sees none of the lights are turned on. Hannibal gets out of his car, and can hear the dogs barking inside. He uses the spare key under the mat to let himself in and take a quick survey of the house. If Will’s not here, then he hasn’t been home all day, so he lets the dogs outside for a few minutes before calling them back in. After a quick headcount, and a racking of his brain to try and remember if Will has talked about any new ones he might be missing, he gets back into his Bentley and drives to the FBI academy. </p><p>Hannibal is extremely relieved to see Will sitting in his classroom, and that he isn’t dead on the side of the road somewhere. He watches Will for a moment and it’s clear the profiler is not fully present, staring off into the distance of the classroom, and making no acknowledgement that Hannibal is there. </p><p>Hannibal clears his throat, but it doesn’t pull Will out of his reverie, so he says, “Will.”</p><p>This gets Will’s attention and he turns to look at Hannibal, confusion written clearly across his face.</p><p>“I have a 24-hour cancellation policy,” Hannibal says, walking into Will’s classroom to stand in front of his desk.</p><p>Will’s eyes go wide with the realization that he’s supposed to be in Hannibal’s office, or else the man wouldn’t have been standing in front of him in his classroom. “What time is it?”</p><p>“Nearly 8. I checked your house, and when I saw you weren’t there, I let the dogs out for a few minutes and then came here.”</p><p>“I’m sorry. I must have fallen asleep.” Will rubs his eyes. </p><p>“I don’t think you were asleep, Will. You were staring off into mid-distance.” Hannibal walks around to the other side of Will’s desk, and stands next to the seated man. He looks down at the photos scattered across the desk and sees his kills on one side, and another killer’s set off to the other side. He feels a swell of pride at the fact that Will has separated him from the rest, no matter how dangerous that could end up being for himself.</p><p>“I can see why you’re having those nightmares you mentioned in my kitchen,” Hannibal whispers, moving a few photos to the side to look at ones under them. </p><p>“I’ve been thinking about these cases nonstop for days now. Something’s not right, though. We’ve only had two Ripper victims when he kills in sounders of three. It’s been almost too long since the second one. Either the body hasn’t been found or the Ripper is taking a break in the middle of his work,” Will explains. He doesn’t need to, because Hannibal already knows.</p><p>“It’s almost as if your wish has been granted about them taking turns with their kills,” Hannibal says, looking at Will. He hopes it’s not enough for Will to see through him, but to give Will the idea that the Chesapeake Ripper has taken his best interests into consideration.</p><p>“Yeah,” Will laughs softly. “That’d be crazy, though, right?” He looks up and meets Hannibal’s eyes with his own. </p><p>“Crazy indeed,” Hannibal agrees. </p><p>Jack Crawford walks into the room, causing both men to break their eye contact with each other. </p><p>“Doctor Lecter, what a nice surprise,” Jack smiles at Hannibal. He turns to Will, “We have a lead on the Ripper.” <em> No you don’t </em>, Hannibal thinks. Jack turns back to him, “Care to help us catch the Ripper?”</p><p>“How could I refuse?” Hannibal forces himself not to laugh at Jack Crawford’s confidence in something so false, and follows Jack and Will out the door.</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A shorter chapter, but I really wanted to post because today is my birthday! So here's a party scene for ya. As always, let me know if you see any really bad typos.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jack gives them a briefing on the situation when they get into one of the FBI’s black SUVs. Apparently they’re looking for an ambulance that is being used as a kill truck, and they believe the killer is performing surgery in this ambulance. They arrive at a garage for a private company and Will and Hannibal follow close behind Jack, as well as Beverly Katz.</p><p>When the manager is found, Jack asks about a specific vehicle, and is told it’s not even in rotation.</p><p>“Can you bring me to it?” Jack asks, and the manager huffs in annoyance, before leading the way to a parking space. It’s empty. </p><p>Hannibal barely listens as Jack questions the man about who signed in the ambulance last. He’s more focused on watching Will, examining how he’s faring in this situation, after losing time not too long ago. Hannibal wants to pull Will aside and make him sit this case out, but he knows the suggestion won’t be met with a good reaction, so he refrains from it. He considers the idea of talking to Jack about his concerns about Will, but if that got back to Will, it could get Hannibal in trouble. </p><p>When Beverly Katz starts talking about GPS systems, Hannibal knows it means they’re about to move on soon, so he tunes back into the conversation with his undivided attention. </p><p>“Jack, if the ambulance radio is on, I can use a DF sweep to find it,” Beverly says. Hannibal and Will both turn to look at each other, impressed by how well this case is going now and in Beverly’s quick thinking and problem solving.</p><p>Hannibal turns to Will and leans in closer, “This is very educational.” </p><p>Will responds with a grin. </p><p>They walk side by side back to the SUV and when they find the ambulance parked on the side of the road, Jack gets out with his gun drawn. He opens up the back and they see a man, Devon Silvestri, performing a surgery on a man in the back of the ambulance.</p><p>“Show us your hands,” Jack orders, his gun pointing at Silvestri.</p><p>“I can’t, h-he’ll die,” he says, nervously.</p><p>Jack moves forward to assess the situation, and then calls out, “Doctor Lecter.”</p><p>Hannibal moves forward quickly, jumping into the back of the ambulance and seeing that Silvestri was attempting to remove the man’s kidney. He tells Jack as much, and then says “I can reattach it.”</p><p>“Do it,” Jack tells him, and Hannibal pulls on a pair of gloves, and gets to work. It’s been a long time since he’s performed surgery to save someone’s life, but it still comes easy to him. He knows he can’t allow this man to die in the back of this ambulance with the head of the BAU watching him. </p><p>Silvestri steps out of the ambulance, hands raised above his hand, and Jack lowers his gun to cuff him, bringing him to the back of the SUV.</p><p>Hannibal looks up and glances at Will, who is watching him with intent, and curiosity. Hannibal wonders what Will’s thinking in that moment, whether it’s good or not, but he doesn’t let himself think about it too long because he needs to save the victim.  </p><p>Following that night, Hannibal takes the third victim’s life, and sets up his display. With Will no longer worrying about the organ harvester, he decides it won’t be too hard on him, and with his dinner party coming up quickly, he has no choice. </p><p>Hannibal takes the victim and skins him, contorting his body until it resembles an anatomical heart. Though Will doesn’t know that Hannibal is the Ripper, Hannibal sees it as a declaration of his feelings for Will. A way of saying “yes I stopped killing in the middle of a cycle because you were too stressed, and I want you to know why,” without Hannibal fully giving himself away. While he works, he thinks about his motivation. Love. He knows Will’s empathic abilities will be able to see that in his design, and he smiles as he mutilates his victim’s body in his basement. </p><p>The body is left halfway between Will’s house and Quantico, in a field, not completely remote, but not public enough that a lot of people will see it. Just enough for it to be found and reported within the next two days. </p><p>He reads about it on Tattlecrime when it’s discovered. As rude as she may be, he applauds Freddie Lounds for her way of viewing these crime scenes. Had the FBI not been able to get help from Will, then Freddie could’ve easily taken his place in explaining why killers kill the way they do.</p><p><em> Chesapeake Ripper in Love? </em>The headline reads.</p><p>The article goes on to talk about Freddie’s speculations that the Ripper is trying to attract the attention of his beloved with this scene. Hannibal smiles and hopes Will sees it too, that the Ripper is not entirely a monster, but someone who can love and feel, as well. If Will can see through the grotesque, and see the artistry of these displays, the elevation of these worthless people into something more, then maybe he can see past the grotesqueness of the Ripper, and see the person. That way, if it ever comes out, he won’t entirely lose Will as a friend, and if he can push Will into following his own instincts, then maybe he’ll be able to have Will as something more than a friend, too. </p><p>On the night of his dinner party, Hannibal’s delighted when Will does show up. He had feared that Will would feel insecure about his presence at the party and cancel at the last moment, but when Will rings his doorbell, dressed in the same suit, with the same red tie as the night at the opera, Hannibal beams. All of his worries wash away when he opens the door to the man in front of him.</p><p>Hannibal had already called everyone in attendance that believed he and Will were in a relationship, and told them not to mention it in front of Jack Crawford or Alana Bloom. They were more than gracious in their acceptance of that request, and Hannibal told Will as much, very quietly as Will entered into the foyer. </p><p>“Are Jack and Alana here yet?” Will asks.</p><p>“Not yet, but a few of the other guests are, if you wish to go converse with them. Otherwise you may join me in the kitchen, if you would prefer,” Hannibal suggests. </p><p>“If I join you in the kitchen, will I have to help cook?” Will asks, but he’s already walking into the kitchen, as if Hannibal’s answer doesn’t actually matter one way or another. Will would probably take cooking over socializing with people he barely knows any day.</p><p>“No, I have hired some help for tonight. You just get to stand there and look pretty,” Hannibal jokes. Though he’s not joking, not really. </p><p>A voice comes from the doorway when they’re both in the kitchen, Hannibal returning to his Centrifuge. </p><p>“I thought that was Will Graham, I heard!” Mrs. Komeda exclaims. She comes in and kisses Will on the cheek, and he murmurs a ‘hello,’ before she starts talking again. “Don’t worry, my lips are sealed about you two! Hannibal explained you’re not out to your colleagues, and I completely understand.”</p><p>“Thank you, Mrs. Komeda,” Will smiles. Hannibal watches him shift awkwardly on his feet. He watches as the two fall into a conversation that he can’t hear, and smiles as the nervous tension starts to leave Will’s body.</p><p>Hannibal’s house phone rings and he picks it up to see Jack Crawford’s name on the caller ID. He answers the phone with a “Hello?”</p><p>“Hello, Doctor Lecter. I’m very sorry, but I was just called to a scene, and I don’t think I can make it.”</p><p>Hannibal, pretending to be saddened by this news, says, “Well, that’s very unfortunate, Jack. I have to insist you allow me to cook for you another night.”</p><p>“Of course, Doctor Lecter. Name a night, and I’ll be there,” Jack chuckles into the phone. “Hey, is Will there? I was about to call him and see if he’s available, but if he’s already at your house, I won’t.”</p><p>“Yes, he’s here, and I think he’s having a pleasant time. It would be a crime to pull him away, now,” Hannibal says, his tone light. “Perhaps Alana may be able to help on this one. She’s very good at reading crime scenes and profiling killers, as well. She’s supposed to be here tonight, but she hasn’t arrived yet. You may be able to catch her before she does.”</p><p>“I would hate to have two of your guests cancel on you tonight. And that’s saying she even accepts,” Jack says. Hannibal can tell he’s still considering it and is about to speak when Jack goes on, “I’ll give her a call. Sorry again, Doctor Lecter.”</p><p>“It’s alright, Jack. Goodbye,” Hannibal hangs up the phone and sets it back down on the counter. </p><p>“Jack cannot make it tonight,” Hannibal tells Will, who’s been watching him since he picked up the phone. “He’s been called into a crime scene, unfortunately.”</p><p>“And you told him to call Alana instead of me?” Will raises an eyebrow. </p><p>Really, Hannibal had known this would happen. He was the one that left the body, afterall. A copycat killing of a previous case that went unsolved. Hannibal knew the body would be discovered just in time for the FBI to be called in for the case, having left it behind a bar that didn’t open until early evening. With the elimination of Jack Crawford from the party, and the small chance that Alana would also agree to help, there would be nothing stopping Hannibal and Will from acting like a couple. </p><p>“Yes, though she may not accept. Still, I don’t think Jack will call you away since you’re already here.” Hannibal says, not letting Will pick up on the hopefulness that she will accept. </p><p>“You want her to accept so you can have your hands all over me, though,” Will jests. </p><p>“Ah, darling, you know me too well,” Hannibal smiles. He feels a buzz in his pocket and he pulls it out to see a text from Alana.</p><p>
  <em> My sincerest apologies. Jack called me and asked if I could profile a killer for him, and I can’t make it tonight. I hope your party goes well, and I’ll be at the next one if it kills me. </em>
</p><p>Hannibal disregards the rudeness of her texting instead of calling because he knows she’s likely in a hurry, and sends a message back.</p><p>
  <em> Not to worry, Alana. Come over any night and I will cook for you to make up for it. Have a good evening. </em>
</p><p>“Alana will not be attending the party tonight. Jack seems to have caught her in time.”</p><p>“Then we are no longer bound to secrecy then?” Mrs. Komeda asks.</p><p>“It appears so,” Hannibal nods. “Will, a word?” Hannibal, having finished doing what he needed to in the kitchen, and only having jobs left that can be handled by the sous-chefs, moves to walk out of the kitchen, turning around to look at Will expectantly.</p><p>“Uh, yeah,” Will says, and follows Hannibal out of the kitchen, and to his study. Hannibal shuts the door behind them. He walks over to his desk and sits on top of it, Will standing a few feet away. Hannibal takes in the sight of Will, who somehow looks even better than he did the last time he wore the same exact suit. </p><p>“If you are uncomfortable pretending in front of them, we do not need to partake in any public displays of affection. This plan was only meant to trick my patient, and I understand that this is much more than you agreed to,” Hannibal says.</p><p>Will shakes his head. He grins, showing teeth, “I think it could be fun. Besides, it’s good practice in case we encounter your patient again.”</p><p>Hannibal’s heart skips a beat. He was hopeful, of course, but he wasn’t expecting Will to actually agree to carry on like this. </p><p>“Very well, then. Again, as I said before the opera, if I cross a line, tell me,” Hannibal warns, moving back towards the door.</p><p>“Hey, Hannibal?” </p><p>Hannibal stops and turns to look at Will. Will reaches out and messes up Hannibal’s gelled hair. </p><p>“Will,” Hannibal protests.</p><p>“It would be more realistic if you and I leave a private conversation looking a bit dishevelled, don’t you think, Doctor?” Hannibal’s eyes go wide, realizing that Will’s suggesting they should appear to have just been in an intimate situation where their hands would be in each other’s hair. </p><p>“That’s almost inappropriate,” Hannibal says, pretending to be appalled at the suggestion. Will picks up on Hannibal’s joking tone and shrugs, before moving around him and opening the door to the study himself. He pulls Hannibal’s hand into his own and they lace their fingers together.</p><p>Once they leave the room, and are back in the line of sight of other guests, Hannibal notices his friends eyeing them both. Mrs. Komeda gives them a wink, and Will is grinning ear to ear next to him. Hannibal announces dinner will be starting shortly, and everyone goes to the dining room to take their seats. He lets go of Will’s hand, and tells him to go find his seat, and he tells the sous-chefs to bring out the first course of the meal, each carrying a few plates. Hannibal stands at the head of the table, Will in at the corner seat to his left, and the entire table starts to applaud. Will looks around as if he is confused, before he slowly starts to clap too. Hannibal beams at everyone, and then waves to cut them off.</p><p>“I must warn you. Nothing here is vegetarian.” </p><p>Throughout dinner, everyone praises Hannibal’s cooking. He smiles in response. <em> If only they knew, </em>Hannibal thinks. Not only is nothing on the table vegetarian, but barely any of it isn’t human flesh. He wonders if Will would be disgusted to know about all the times he’d eaten another person, or if he’d accept it as something that just happened. Hannibal would like to find out if Will would ever eat it willingly, or not.</p><p>After dinner, the party moves to Hannibal’s sitting room, where everyone tells him he must play the harpsichord for them.</p><p>Hannibal pretends to protest for a few seconds, but then goes over to the bench and sits down. He looks up as he feels Will settle down onto the bench next to him. Hannibal can feel the other guests’ eyes on the back of his neck, and he turns his head and places a quick kiss on Will’s cheek. He swears he hears an “aw” from behind him, and a breath hitch in Will’s throat. Will turns to look Hannibal in the eyes, and Hannibal holds the gaze for as long as Will allows, which really, isn’t long. After just a few seconds, Will is looking down at his hands in his lap, a blush rising on his cheeks.</p><p>Hannibal’s stomach flutters at the idea of Will being flustered because of him, and he silently berates himself for having those butterflies again. Hannibal takes a deep breath and brings his fingers to the keys of his harpsichord, playing a song from memory. When he finishes, there’s a silence in the room, before applause rings out from everyone. He doesn’t turn to look at anyone, as he brings a hand to place on Will’s knee. Will drops his head to Hannibal’s shoulder, and they sit like that for a moment. Hannibal may not have the empathic abilities that Will possesses, but he knows that this moment isn’t a spectacle for his friends, and that Will is sitting close to him because he wants to, not because he feels like he has to. </p><p>Hannibal realizes that maybe a monster like him could have something like this in a real way. The moment doesn’t last long enough for him, because Will is lifting his head again, and then lifting himself off the bench, to go get himself a glass of wine. Hannibal feels a sadness wash over him at the loss of contact. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Please leave kudos and comments, they make my day! I'll have another chapter out asap. (Also - when I get to the end of this story, if there's enough interest, I may be turning it into a series!)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Hannibal gets up from the bench and does a small bow at the second round of applause he receives. Will has gone off and is talking to someone, sipping from his refilled glass of wine, and Hannibal thinks about going up to stand next to him, but Mrs. Komeda swoops in to Hannibal’s side before he can cross the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s wonderful seeing you so happy, Hannibal. You need to hold onto that man, and never let him go,” she says. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is my plan,” Hannibal smiles. And it is his plan. If he could have Will forever, he would. Hannibal frowns for a split second at the reminder that it isn’t actually real. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, my husband and I must be leaving, and I just wanted to say thank you for this party. You never disappoint, Hannibal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you for coming. Call me anytime and I will cook for you again,” Hannibal smiles, walking Mr. and Mrs. Komeda towards the front door. He waves them farewell and returns to the party, where it seems that others are wrapping up their conversations, and finishing their drinks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will stands alone near the harpsichord, facing away from Hannibal, staring at nothing in particular, his glass of wine still in his hand. Hannibal walks up behind him and wraps arms around the other man’s waist, resting his chin on a shoulder. Will jumps at the sudden contact, having been pulled out of whatever thought he was lost in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you still here?” Hannibal asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will swallows. “I am now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good. I believe everyone’s about to leave, but you’re welcome to stay and tell me what’s going on in your head, Will.” Hannibal’s arms tighten around his waist and he nuzzles his face into the nape of Will’s neck. He inhales the warm, sweet scent of the encephalitis and frowns into Will’s heated skin. Hannibal knows everyone’s watching the moment, but he’s not doing it for anyone other than himself, and to ground Will back into the moment. Hannibal wonders when he became so soft. He’s always had the capability to act this way, but it’s usually rooted in manipulation. He’s losing the desire to manipulate Will in the way he had planned from the moment he called the Hobbs’ house in warning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should probably go, too,” Will says quietly. There’s a slight slur to his words, and Hannibal wonders how many glasses of wine Will has had. To put him in a social situation, one where he has to pretend to be something he’s not, and leaving him with access to copious amounts of alcohol, was nearly negligent on Hannibal’s part.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal inhales again and smells the lingering alcohol on Will’s breath. “How much have you had to drink tonight?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not enough that I can’t drive home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal lets go of Will and turns him around to look at his face. Will’s eyes shift away from Hannibal’s piercing gaze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I must insist you stay for a bit to sober yourself, Will. I can’t have you driving yourself home this late if I’m not completely sure you'll make it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re letting everyone else go,” Will points out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t care about them like I care for you, Will,” Hannibal whispers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A breath gets caught in Will’s throat, and he nervously scratches the back of his neck.  His eyes still won’t meet Hannibal’s, staring off over Hannibal’s shoulder at the guests who are slowly making their way out. Normally they’d say goodbye, praise Hannibal for his party, and leave with a promise to return, but tonight they eye the two men, and all silently agree not to interrupt them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal brings a hand up to Will’s warm face, rubbing a thumb over his cheekbone. “I’m going to make certain everyone leaves, and you are going to go sit in my study while I make us both coffee.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will nods and Hannibal turns away to show the stragglers out to the door, and heads to his kitchen to make two cups of coffee. While he waits for it to brew, he goes upstairs to his room to exchange his suit for a pair of comfortable pants, and a red sweater. When he returns to the kitchen, the coffee is ready and he brings two mugs to his study, where he told Will to wait.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal stops in the doorway and sees Will sitting on a couch, his head lolling to the side, his arms crossed in front of him. His eyes are closed, and Hannibal smiles fondly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will,” Hannibal says, in an attempt to rouse him. Will blinks awake slowly. Hannibal had barely been gone fifteen minutes, but Will had managed to fall asleep, anyways. “It’s good I didn’t allow you to leave, it appears.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal crosses the room and sits down on the couch next to Will, a few inches of space between them. He sets both coffee mugs down on a table and turns to look at Will, who’s attempting to rub the sleepiness out of his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry. Haven’t been sleeping well,” Will mumbles, reaching for one of the mugs. He brings it to his lips and sighs as he drinks. “This is good coffee.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will, I insist you don’t drive home at all tonight. You fell asleep within fifteen minutes, and I cannot let you on the road in this state. I have a guest room.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I shouldn’t. The dogs-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal cuts him off. “I will call Alana and ask her to check on them right now. I do want to talk about your cases before bed, if you’ll allow it. We never did get to have our session this week.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will surrenders to Hannibal’s insistence, likely out of exhaustion, and Hannibal leaves the room to go find his cell phone. Alana answers on the second ring with a, “Hello, Hannibal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, Alana. I must ask a favor of you. If it’s not too much, could you please check in on Will’s dogs? I fear he has had too much to drink tonight and I will not allow him to drive home inebriated.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s a moment of silence, before she finally says, “Sure. I can do that. And I’m sorry I couldn’t make it tonight. The need to help save lives won over.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I understand completely. Thank you, and goodnight, Alana.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodnight, Hannibal.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hangs up the phone, and with that taken care of, he returns to Will, who’s still sipping at his coffee. His movements are slow, and his eyes stare at a spot on the rug in front of him, and it’s clear he’s, once again, not entirely present. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alana is checking on your pack,” Hannibal tells him, sitting down on the couch next to Will, again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will nods slowly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s on your mind, Will?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know it’s impossible, but I keep connecting the Ripper pausing during his sounder, to the last display he left. It’s like he knew… like he knew I was stressed, stopped, and then left a love letter in the form of a corpse to tell me why he stopped.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal isn’t sure whether he should be happy Will has seen his design perfectly, or wary that Will is also seeing who made the design. Hannibal doesn’t say anything in response, and let’s Will continue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know it sounds crazy. Weirder coincidences have happened, but it’s hard to not connect these things.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Confirmation bias. We, as humans, search for anything that can confirm any beliefs or wants we already have. You are seeing this display, and remembering how the Ripper has mocked, or sent other messages to people close to you, and now you believe there's a message there for yourself. Tell me, Will, do you want the Ripper to see you as a potential lover?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will snorts and shakes his head. “How could that be the case when I didn’t even believe the Ripper could love in the first place?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Didn’t? Does that mean you believe it now?” Hannibal raises an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was clear. I could feel it more than I’ve felt anything in a long time. It’s as if he has never felt this strongly for anyone before,” Will explains. Hannibal considers that idea. It never crossed his mind how completely overpowering his feelings for Will are.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s interesting. If I were you, I would not even want to entertain the idea of the Ripper seeing me in that way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t just shut off my brain.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Hannibal agrees. “Well, I say it’s time we turn in, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will just nods and follows Hannibal to the kitchen, where they leave their mugs in the sink to be dealt with at a later time, and then up the stairs. Hannibal takes Will to a spare bedroom, and returns to his own to get pajamas that will fit the smaller man, as well as an extra tooth brush. He returns to Will, who is already sitting down on the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“These should fit you. Here’s a brand new toothbrush, and there are towels in the bathroom over there if you wish to shower.” Hannibal sets down the pile of clothes and goes to leave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hannibal?” Will’s voice sounds small. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Will?” Hannibal stops at the door and turns to look at him. For a second, Hannibal thinks Will is going to ask him to stay. He hopes, actually. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will opens his mouth to speak, but the words he wants to say don’t come out. After a moment, he finally says, “Thanks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal can’t help his disappointment. He doesn’t let Will see it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I assure you it’s nothing, Will. You’re my friend and I care about you. This is the least I could do,” Hannibal says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodnight, Hannibal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodnight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal returns to his room, and hopes Will is at least going to stay for breakfast in the morning, but alas his wishful thinking doesn’t come true, and Will has gone before he wakes. He sees a message on his phone stamped an hour prior.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>thanks, again. had to go. jack called.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal frowns at the message, and responds with a</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You’re very welcome. I very much wish Jack would have held off until I could cook you breakfast this morning, but very well. Have a good day. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal goes on about his day as normal, but can’t help but think of Will at every chance he gets. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Short chapter, but it had a good stopping point. Hoping for 3-4 more chapters in this, and then I'll be writing a part 2.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey y'all you're getting a total of three chapters tonight because I finished connecting two parts that were written out of order. Enjoy.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Hannibal has another session with Franklyn, where Franklyn talks about how he thinks Tobias might be a psychopath. Tobias says dark things, Franklyn tells him. He then has a moment of panic where he thinks he might be one himself, and Hannibal has to assure the neurotic man that is definitely not the case. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Franklyn, as insecure as ever, picks up on Hannibal’s boredom, and Hannibal has to deny the accusations Franklyn throws at him about his boredom. The hour is painful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal sees Bedelia again, where he tells her about his dinner party, and how he thinks something more might be budding with Will Graham. She listens intently, and offers no new advice about the situation. Not that Hannibal would listen, anyways. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Later on in the week, there’s a body that turns up in a symphony hall. Vocal chords exposed, and treated to be played like a violin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will tells him all about it in their next session. They don’t mention the night of the party, they don’t talk about their arrangement, or how it’s developing. Hannibal still isn’t sure if Will feels the same way, or if the feeling he’d gotten from him on the bench in front of the harpsichord was just the warmth of Will’s fever. No, they mention none of that, and stay focused on the case, instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This murder was a performance,” Will tells him. He’s restless, pacing around Hannibal’s office, slightly twitching. The case is taking a toll on his health.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They talk about how the vocal cords were treated, and when Hannibal mentions that olive oil is not often used anymore, Will looks bothered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At one point, Will says, “I can hear what he was playing, when I close my eyes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what do you see?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It takes Will a moment to answer, but finally he says, “Myself.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal thinks about that answer for a second, and then says, “You said your killer was performing for someone,” Will nods. “But who was he performing for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know. A fellow musician, a patron of the arts, or another killer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A serenade.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One night only,” Will responds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No repeat of the performance?” Hannibal asks, curious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, this isn’t how he kills. He doesn’t get caught.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You believe he risked getting caught just to serenade someone?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will ponders that for a second. “I believe he wanted to show someone how well he plays.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Intriguing.” Hannibal says, considering what Will said. They circle back to the Ripper again, to the other cases Will’s been working on, other killers he’s caught. Will asks if there’s been any other stalking incidences, and Hannibal tells him no. It’s comfortable conversation, easy conversation. As easy as talking about murderers can be, that is. Just as long as they aren’t talking about their own feelings, it’s easy enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Next time Hannibal sees Franklyn, the patient asks, “Do you remember when I said Tobias has been saying dark things?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal nods, holding up his notebook. “I made note of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Franklyn, voice shaking, pushes himself to say what he needs to say, “He told me he wanted to cut someone’s throat open and play them like a violin.” He takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself, “And then they found someone with their throat cut open and played like a violin.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Franklyn, do you think Tobias killed that man at the symphony?” Hannibal asks, leaning forward in his chair, intrigued. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know!” Franklyn throws his hands in the air. “Do I have to report it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you have reason not to?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What if I’m wrong? I’m always wrong. Why would he even tell me something like this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why do you think?” Hannibal asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because he knew I would tell you,” Franklyn realizes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He can’t imagine Tobias would actually tell Franklyn so that Franklyn would tell him, but it seems to be the case. Reckless.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Following their appointment, Hannibal has free time, and finds the string shop Tobias works at. He goes in and makes sure the bell above the door doesn’t get jostled too much to alert Tobias. Hannibal takes in his surroundings. Stringed instruments all over, someone playing one of them out of sight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The playing stops, and Tobias Budge comes around the corner into the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, you’re Franklyn’s therapist, right?” Tobias asks, reaching out to shake Hannibal’s hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes. Is it Tobias?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” he nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your strings are all gut,” Hannibal observes. He’s slowly making his way down the wall of instruments, looking at them all closely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tobias shakes his head, “I also carry steel and polymer strings, if you prefer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I prefer gut. Harps found in the tombs of Thebes strung with gut still made music after 2000 years,” Hannibal tells him, then he turns and looks at Tobias, “Wonderful music you were making.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tobias changes the subject, “I didn’t hear you ring the bell.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t want you to stop playing. Was it an original composition?” Hannibal says, bringing the subject back.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tobias nods, “Something I’ve been writing.” Then he says, “You compose?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I discover.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What instrument?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Theremin” Hannibal tells him. He knows he can bring the conversation where he wants it to go by mentioning this instrument rather than the others. He’s not disappointed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tobias says, “Instruments speak volumes about the musician playing them. Especially one that doesn’t require touch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal hums in agreement. Both men are standing in the shop looking at each other, Hannibal no longer bothering to look at the instruments. “Theremin isn’t the only instrument I play, but it is one of my favorites. It can generate any pitch throughout its range, even those between conventional notes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So can a violin or a trombone.” Hannibal smiles. Reckless move to mention the violin and the trombone, after a trombonist has been turned into a violin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> Hannibal doesn’t show his satisfaction, and he presses, “Are those your instruments?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The violin. Not the trombone.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal nods, “It seems we’re both comfortable playing between conventional notes.” He pauses. “Too bad you don’t play the sliphorn. I hear the Orchestra is looking for a new trombonist.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Altogether horrible what happened.” Tobias fakes his sadness. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal considers it for a second, then says, “Not altogether. It’s an unfortunate way to leave the symphony, yes, but I can’t help thinking the orchestra will be better for it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s trying to bait Tobias into admitting, or letting on that he agrees. It would be damning for him to do so. Tobias seems to notice, though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe the brass section.” Tobias says, an attempt at sounding casual. He changes the subject again, “What brings you here looking for gut?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “My harpsichord needs new strings,” Hannibal lies. “It’s making an awful noise. Perhaps you could help?” Hannibal asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tobias agrees to help and Hannibal gives him a time he can stop by, to help with the harpsichord, and for dinner. Hannibal also plans on killing Tobias, but he doesn’t tell the man that. Hannibal may be planning his demise, but he needs some answers, too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the night Hannibal decides to invite Tobias over for dinner, he decides to jump right into the questions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have to ask. Did you kill that trombonist?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tobias laughs, “Do you really have to ask?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. I don’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Franklyn gave you my message then?” Tobias asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “Yes. The FBI is investigating the murder. They’re going to find you,” Hannibal tells him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let them.” Tobias shrugs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You want to be caught?” Hannibal raises an eyebrow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want them to try. They’ll send two officers to interview me at my string shop, and I’ll kill them. Then I’ll kill Franklyn. Then I’ll leave town.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal thinks for a moment. “Don’t kill Franklyn.” Is what he decides on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal needs Franklyn alive if he wants to continue taking Will on dates. Even if the dates aren’t real, he knows there’s a chance he can make something develop between Will and himself. Will hasn’t gotten to that point, yet, though, Hannibal knows as much, which is why Franklyn needs to stay in the picture a little bit longer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve been looking forward to it. Actually I was going to kill you. And your FBI boyfriend, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course you were. I’m lean. Lean animals yield the strongest gut. As for Will, he’d be the one to catch you. It would be in your best interest to kill him. What made you change your mind?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tobias smiles, “I changed my mind after I followed you one night. Out of town. Out of state. To a lonely road. To a bus yard.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal stills. Tobias knows who he is, just as he knows who Tobias is. Hannibal knows this is dangerous. Surely if he doesn’t want to kill Hannibal anymore, he might have changed his mind about killing Will as well. He could end up telling Will about Hannibal… that would not be in his own best interest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you ever want to get caught?” Tobias asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re reckless, Tobias.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry. I’m not going to tell anyone what I saw that you do and do well. My own recklessness doesn’t concern you. Though I must know. It has to be reckless to be a killer while dating an FBI agent. How do you get away with that… unless he knows?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal shakes his head. He doesn’t say anything. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I could use a friend. Someone who understands me. Can see the world like I do.” Tobias says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know how you feel, but I do not want to be your friend,” Hannibal responds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then why did you invite me here? Surely not just to restring your harpsichord.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal shakes his head. “I was going to kill you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tobias looks down at the plate in front of him, then back at Hannibal. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t poison you. I wouldn’t do that to the food.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal hears the doorbell ring. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Expecting someone?” Tobias asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” He wasn’t expecting anyone besides Tobias tonight, especially not at such a late hour. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal leaves Tobias in the dining room and goes to his front door. He opens it to see Will standing out in the cold. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I kissed Alana Bloom. Well, Alana Bloom kissed me… Actually I don’t know exactly what happened,” Will says, walking into the foyer of Hannibal’s home and taking off his coat without waiting for Hannibal to invite him in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal and Will both walk down the hall to the dining room. Hannibal prepares himself mentally just in case Tobias is still there, and ready to kill him or Will. He sees no one, nothing but the open sliding glass door. He shuts it quickly, to stop the cold from coming in, and to stop Will’s eyes from wandering out and seeing the footprints in the snow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you have a guest?” Will asks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A colleague, you just missed him. An urgent call of some sort. Had to leave suddenly. This benefits you. I have dessert for two.” Hannibal says as he pulls a pan out of the oven. He gives Will a plate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell me what happened. And why you drove an hour in the snow to tell me.” Hannibal tries to mask the jealousy in his voice. Why would Will come to tell him? Rub it in his face that he likes Alana rather than him? Hannibal finds that quite rude, if he’s being honest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She had come to check in on me. I heard an animal in my chimney. She knew there was no animal in my chimney. I think… I think I leaned in first. Maybe it was her. I just know I was the one that stopped it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal can almost physically see Will spiraling. His illness is getting worse, his hallucinations causing problems. Hannibal knows he has to make a decision soon. If he wants to follow through with his plan, or if he should take Will to a neurologist and get him treated for the encephalitis he knows he smells on the younger man. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why did you stop it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… I knew she’d say something about how I’m not stable, how I’d be bad for her. I like Alana. I’ve wanted to kiss her since the moment I met her, but I knew I was going to be rejected. I decided to do the rejecting first. I… might have told her I was seeing someone and that it was wrong for me to allow this to happen.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will hasn’t touched the dessert in front of him. He scratches the back of his neck, as if nervous of something. Hannibal has a feeling he’s nervous about what he’s going to say next, so he doesn’t push him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a moment, Will takes a deep breath and speaks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I may have told her I’m seeing you,” Will admits. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal nods slowly. “I see.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I shouldn’t have. I know that. We’re only faking it because of your patient, but I panicked. I’m sorry. I… she’s probably going to call you tomorrow. She gave me an earful about ethics. I told her you’re not actually my therapist, but she didn’t want to hear it.” Will’s talking fast, pushed by nerves. Hannibal reaches and places a hand over one of Will’s clenched fists, where they sit on the counter. A calming gesture.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will, it’s okay.” Hannibal assures him. Will looks down at their hands, and lets out a shaky breath. Hannibal makes his decision then. “Will, you said there was no animal. Are you sure of this? Did Alana say that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She didn’t have to. I sleepwalk, I’m hearing things, I get headaches. I feel unstable.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe you kissed her as a clutch for balance. Maybe you realized the balance she can offer is not what you need when you told her you are with me. I don’t think what’s happening to you is due to mental illness, but perhaps it is physical afterall. You feel warm, have you been running a fever?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will shrugs, “I don’t know, I mean I wake up sweating a lot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I fear it may be encephalitis, Will.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will lets out a sigh. It sounds like one of relief to Hannibal. “It can be cured, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes. I can get you an appointment with my friend Dr. Sutcliffe, a neurologist. We’ll see if that is the problem, or not, and then go on from there.” Hannibal smiles. He reaches up to Will’s face and cups his cheek in one hand. They’re not standing very close, it’s not a very intimate gesture, but it offers the comfort Will so desperately needs. He feels the heat under Will’s skin. Definitely feverish. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will nods, and leans into Hannibal’s touch as he does. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should- I should go home,” Will says, pulling away from Hannibal’s hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal drops his hand to his side, and looks out the kitchen window where snow is falling heavily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can stay in the guest room again. It’s not safe for you to drive home in that snow, especially if you’ve been having these hallucinations tonight.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d hate to impose,” Will protests. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s no problem, I promise. Come now,” Hannibal says, and he takes Will’s hand in his own and walks to them both to his stairs. He makes sure Will is set up in the guest room, and turns to walk out into the hall. He stops and looks back at Will. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And, Will? If I have gone before you wake tomorrow, there’s something you should know. This borders on a violation of doctor-patient confidentiality, but it’s important. I’m not sure if you recall my patient’s friend Tobias from the opera, but my patient told me he may be involved with the murder at the symphony.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will raises his eyebrows in surprise, “It’s a small world, isn’t it? What did he say about him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He owns a music store here in Baltimore, specializing in stringed instruments. Perhaps you should let Jack know,” he tells him. Hannibal doesn’t want Will going to interview Tobias himself, after a threat has been made on his life. Especially not with Tobias knowing what he knows about Hannibal. It would be too easy for him to let it slip to Will. He knows Will will likely do it, anyways. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal turns to go, but Will’s voice stops him. It’s quiet, almost as if he’s not sure he wants Hannibal to hear him when he says, “Can you stay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal stops in his tracks. He nods slowly, unsure if he should actually be saying yes, or not. The look at Will’s face is pleading, but Hannibal can’t tell if Will is aware of it or not.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be back in a moment,” Hannibal goes to his room and changes into pajamas, and brushes his teeth. He slowly walks back down the hall to the guest bedroom, and can hear the shower running in the bathroom. Hannibal peels back the covers, and sits down on the bed, trying to make sense of what this actually means. Will is scared, has just received news he may have encephalitis, he probably just doesn’t want to deal with it alone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Will comes out of the bathroom, just in the shirt Hannibal gave him, and his boxers, Hannibal has to turn his head away so he doesn’t stare.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I get too hot,” Will explains. Hannibal nods. They both climb under the covers on opposite sides of the bed. Will rolls closer to Hannibal and pauses for a second. Hannibal watches him with bated breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will puts an arm over Hannibal’s torso, and puts his head of damp curls on Hannibal’s chest. The older man lets out the breath he was holding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is this okay?” Will asks into Hannibal’s chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal wraps his arms around Will and breathes, “Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They don’t talk about it, and they fall asleep in each other’s arms. Hannibal wakes up a few times to Will thrashing in his sleep, from what Hannibal assumes are nightmares. He runs his fingers through Will’s hair and whispers soothing words to the man in his arms until he calms. Hannibal doesn’t mind his interrupted sleep, because it means he can help Will sleep better. Something the man desperately needs to do. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In the morning when Hannibal wakes up to leave for his appointments, Will is still curled around his body. Hannibal extracts himself from Will’s grip as carefully as he can, as to not wake Will up. He stirs for a second before curling up on his side and going back to sleep. Hannibal watches Will for a moment, wondering if he slept better because he was next to Hannibal all night. He shakes his head, and tries not to think about it. He leaves a note on the kitchen counter, and a plate of sausage and eggs in the fridge for him when he wakes up, and leaves the house. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Standing on the step outside the door of his office, is Alana Bloom, arms crossed, and face serious. Surely here to talk about what Will said to her last night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alana, what a pleasant surprise,” he smiles, walking past her to unlock the door. It’s not a surprise at all, actually. He knew she’d either come knocking or come calling before the start of their days, but he didn’t tell her as much. “Please come in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alana follows Hannibal inside and into Hannibal’s office. She stays by the door while he hangs up his coat and goes to sit at his desk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll get right to it, then,” Alana’s voice is calm, but Hannibal can tell she’s bothered and upset. “Will kissed me last night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know. He told me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And he also told you that he said you two were together, I assume?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal nods. “Will came to my house last night after you left his. He was very upset that he let your encounter become what it did and felt he had to tell me right away what had occurred.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So it’s true then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Alana. Will and I are in a relationship.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you’re not upset with him for kissing me?” Alana walks across the office now, standing in front of Hannibal’s desk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal shakes his head. “He was honest with me, and he regretted his actions. I will not throw away what we have for a mistake as small as this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s your patient. This is entirely unethical,” Alana says. Irritation is showing in her voice now. “You should know better.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will was never my patient, Alana. Not in any official capacity. We were friends who had conversations, and now we are more than that. You cannot blame us for finding each other, and pursuing the happiness and companionship we’ve both been craving.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alana opens her mouth, and then shuts it again. Hannibal checks his watch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, Alana, if this conversation is finished, I believe my first patient will be arriving at any moment.” Hannibal gets up and moves to the exit, where he opens the door for Alana, who is still standing where he left her in front of his desk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who else knows?” She asks, still not moving. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just my acquaintances we met at the opera. A patient of mine knows as well,” Hannibal notes the look Alana gives him. She opens her mouth, about to say something when Hannibal adds, “but only because he approached us after the performance. We were not deliberately keeping this a secret from you, Alana. It’s a rather new development and we wanted to keep it out of our workplaces for the time being. I’m sure you can understand.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alana nods slowly. Hannibal knows she’s not fully sold on the whole thing, but he can’t bring himself to care. She would’ve rejected Will, had he not done it first, so she has no right to get involved in their personal business, regardless of authenticity. She finally moves from her spot and towards the open door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodbye, Hannibal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodbye Alana.” He shuts the door behind her and goes back to where he sat at his desk. On the hour, he opens the door for his first patient of the day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal receives a text from during the appointment. After his patient leaves, he pulls his phone out of his pocket to find a message from Will.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>thanks for the breakfast and for letting me stay last night. slept better than i have in a while. i locked your front door when i left. following up on that lead you gave me.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Hannibal, repulsed by Will’s lack of proper grammar and capitalization, sighs at his cell phone. He had told Will to hand the information over to Jack, but he knew the man wouldn’t do that, and now his worry is all but confirmed. He thinks for a moment, and then presses the call button.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Will picks up on the first ring. “Hello?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will, I urge you to bring backup if you do go to interview him. If he is the killer, he is likely dangerous.” Hannibal warns him. He doesn’t mention the fact that Tobias said he wanted to kill Will. “I would prefer if you leave it to someone else entirely.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m already there, but yes I brought backup. I gotta go. I stepped outside to answer your call and they need me in there. I’ll talk to you later, Hannibal,” Will says. He sounds like he something’s bothering him. Before Hannibal can respond, Will hangs up the phone.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The title of the story comes up in this one. I swear I didn't just pull the title out of my ass.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hannibal waits for his next appointment by looking through his notes from his previous. When the clock hits time, Hannibal goes to the door and welcomes Franklyn into his office. They settle into their opposite chairs.</p><p>“Franklyn, I must start off by apologizing. I may have told my boyfriend, Will, that you were suspicious of your friend Tobias. This is a breach of confidentiality, and I would encourage you to file a complaint if you deem it necessary. Will is investigating Tobias as we speak.”</p><p>“Dr. Lecter, I’m not going to complain, I can’t be dumped by another psychiatrist. I’m almost relieved that I didn’t have to be the one to report Tobias,” Franklyn says.</p><p>“Report me for what?” Tobias’s voice comes from the door. Hannibal stands, ready to defend. </p><p>“Tobias?” Franklyn’s voice is scared. </p><p>“I came to say goodbye, Franklyn.” Tobias is stalking into the room, and Hannibal notices blood on his hands. <em> Will. </em> </p><p>“Goodbye? Is that your blood?” Franklyn asks, voice shaking.</p><p>“I just killed two men. The FBI came to question me about the murder.”</p><p>“You have to turn yourself in. This plane is going down. Let it be a controlled descent. You can get back up in the air again, there’s rehabilitation for everyone.” Franklyn says, moving towards his friend.</p><p>“Franklyn, I want you to leave. Now.” Hannibal warns.</p><p>“Stay where you are, Franklyn,” Tobias challenges. </p><p>Hannibal moves between Franklyn and Tobias. He knows Tobias is going to kill Franklyn given the chance, and he can’t allow that to happen. If Will wasn’t killed, they would still need Franklyn if Hannibal wanted to keep taking Will on their fake dates, seeing as he still doesn’t know where the two stand. If Will’s dead, then it’s not a loss to keep Franklyn alive. He’ll just give the man a referral to another psychiatrist when Franklyn finally oversteps the boundary he’s been walking along. </p><p>“Franklyn. Go,” Hannibal raises his voice, uncommon for him. He’s letting emotions get the best of him in this situation. </p><p>Franklyn seems to be listening to Hannibal because he backs up towards the patients’ private exit. Tobias moves to try and get past Hannibal, to beat Franklyn there, but Hannibal doesn’t allow it. Franklyn slips out the door and Hannibal places his body between Tobias and the exit.</p><p>“You shouldn’t have done that. I’ve been looking forward to killing him, and now I’m going to kill you, instead. This wouldn’t be happening if you would’ve kept your mouth shut around your little boyfriend.”</p><p>Tobias pulls a piano string from his sleeve and starts swinging it. Hannibal eyes him and his weapon of choice curiously. He leans away from the swinging weapon, and when it comes close, Hannibal puts his arm up to block it and feels a searing pain as it wraps around and cuts through his sleeve and into the flesh on his forearm. Tobias swings Hannibal around the office by his arm, and Hannibal allows it. He needs the fight to look as much like self defense as possible. He can’t outright snap the man’s neck if he wants to continue keeping his identity as a killer a secret. </p><p>The two men dance around each other, dodging, and landing headbutts and punches. Hannibal grabs a glass side table from the ground and hits it across Tobias’s back, and pushes him towards the desk. This was a mistake because Tobias finds the letter opener on his desk. Hannibal tackles him, and both men go falling to the ground. Tobias manages to get the blade lodged in Hannibal’s leg and he yells in pain. </p><p>Tobias, now leaning over Hannibal, who is laying on his back across the desk, tries to bring the letter opener down into Hannibal’s chest. Hannibal is able to hold him off long enough to reach for his scalpel. He knows a slice to the neck will likely be enough, if deep enough, but to pass that off as self defense might still prove difficult. It’s a risk he’s willing to take. If Tobias killed Will, he deserves to bleed out. Hannibal swings his arm and brings it up to Tobias’s neck with force, moving it across until Tobias drops the letter opener onto Hannibal’s chest, both hands going to his neck, which has already sprayed blood across Hannibal’s face, and desk. Hannibal grabs the lamp off his desk and brings the heavy base to Tobias’s head. Tobias crumples to the floor. Hannibal checks his pulse. From the blood loss, and the final blow to his head, Tobias is dead. Hannibal sits down at his desk, looking at the ground. </p><p>The door creaks open and Hannibal looks up to see Franklyn.</p><p>“Is he...?” Franklyn’s voice shakes. Hannibal nods, trying to feign remorse and exhaustion on his face. “The noises stopped, I wasn’t sure… I called the police. They should be here soon.”</p><p>Hannibal nods again. </p><p>“Are you okay, Dr. Lecter?” Franklyn is moving towards Hannibal, not looking at the body of his friend sprawled on the floor.</p><p>“I think so,” Hannibal nods.</p><p>A moment later, police and paramedics arrive in his office. Hannibal goes to stand, but a paramedic pushes him back down, examining his bloody arm, and the stab wound to his leg. She begins to bandage his arm in silence, and Hannibal’s attention is stolen by a police officer coming to stand next to him, a notepad in hand.</p><p>“Sir, would you like to tell us what happened?” The officer asked.</p><p>Hannibal nods slowly, and takes a deep breath. “I was having an appointment with my patient, and Tobias came into the office, saying he just killed two men. I feared for Franklyn’s life so I told him to leave. Franklyn had told me in a past session that he suspected Tobias was involved with the murder at the symphony, and I told my… boyfriend, Special Agent Will Graham, about my concerns. Will called me some time before Tobias showed up saying he was following up on the lead. Tobias knew Will and I are romantically involved, and that I’m Franklyn’s therapist. I don’t think it was difficult for him to piece together that I was the one that reported him. Tobias attacked me, stabbed me in the leg, tried to stab me in the chest with my letter opener. I would have died if I didn’t have a scalpel on my desk. I stabbed him in self defense in the only spot I could reach. It… my actions killed him”</p><p>The officer stops writing on his notepad and looks at Hannibal. “Scalpel?”</p><p>“I sharpen my pencils with a scalpel,” Hannibal explains, looking at the blood on his desk. The officer pretends it makes sense. The door of the office opens and Hannibal looks up, a flood of relief washing over him when Will walks into the room behind Jack Crawford.</p><p>“You held a good fight against him. He killed two officers, and attacked Special Agent Graham. Both of you were lucky. You did what you had to do, sir,” the officer says. Hannibal barely hears his words, because all he can focus on is Will coming into the room.</p><p>As the officer moves away to go give Hannibal’s statement to Jack, Will comes over and sits on top of Hannibal’s desk. The paramedic finishes bandaging the worst of Hannibal’s wounds, and leaves a med bag next to him, allowing the two men a private moment. </p><p>“I thought you were dead, Will,” Hannibal says. Will reaches into the med bag and pulls out an antiseptic wipe. He opens the packet and brings it to Hannibal’s face. </p><p>Will holds up his injured arm, and shows Hannibal the bandage. “He attacked me in his shop after killing those officers.”</p><p>“I feel as though I sent you like a lamb to be slaughtered.”</p><p>“I feel like I dragged you into my world,” Will counters as he cleans a cut on Hannibal’s face, and cleans up the blood that sprayed across his face and neck. In this moment, with Will taking care of him, Hannibal feels like they’re the only two people in the world. He looks into Will’s eyes and is surprised to see Will doesn’t avert them. </p><p>“This was both of our worlds. I got here myself, but I’m grateful for your company, Will,” Hannibal says softly. He reaches up to the hand still cleaning his face and grabs onto it. Will looks at his hand in Hannibal’s, and then back to Hannibal’s eyes. Hannibal sees something in Will’s gaze, but can’t quite place what it is. He’s hopeful, though. </p><p>“Hannibal, I,” Will starts, but he’s interrupted by Jack Crawford. </p><p>“Are you okay, Dr. Lecter?” Jack asks. Hannibal nods, pushing down his annoyance at the interruption. “We think Franklyn might have been the person Tobias was serenading. I just talked to him, and he denied it, but I want to hear it from you, what exactly he told you about Tobias Budge.”</p><p>“I don’t believe it was him, Jack. Franklyn told me he was concerned about some dark humor Tobias was using. He said Tobias made a comment about slicing someone’s neck open and playing him like a violin, then said he was merely kidding,” Hannibal tells him. Really, he thinks Franklyn knows more than he told anyone, but Hannibal needs Franklyn free, not behind bars. He feels like he’s so close to getting Will to confess feelings for him, especially after today. </p><p>“If you’re sure, Dr. Lecter,” Jack looks at him, expecting him to change his mind.</p><p>“I’m sure,” Hannibal says definitively. “Do I need to stay here? I can’t keep looking at this office while it’s covered in the blood of the man whose life I took.”</p><p>“You’re free to go, Dr. Lecter. We’re gonna get this cleaned up for you, okay?”</p><p>Hannibal nods and goes to stand, Will’s hand still clasped firmly in his own. </p><p>“I’m going too. I haven’t been home since last night and I need to take care of my dogs,” Will tells Jack. </p><p>“Take care. Both of you,” Jack says. He turns and walks back to the other officers who are standing in a circle discussing next moves, while Tobias Budge’s corpse is put into a body bag. Will stands up from where he leaned against Hannibal’s desk and takes a look around. Hannibal follows his gaze to see Franklyn sitting in one of the armchairs, his head in his hands. </p><p>“Good thing he has a good therapist,” Will murmurs. “Come on,” Will says, pulling Hannibal by his hand to the door. “We have some things to talk about.”</p><p>Will doesn’t let go of Hannibal’s hand even when they’re outside of the building, away from the eyes of others. He brings them to his own car and opens the passenger door for Hannibal, before going around to the driver’s side and getting in. </p><p>“My car is still here,” Hannibal says, as Will puts the car in drive. “Where are we going?” He asks when Will doesn’t respond.</p><p>“My house. I do actually have to take care of my dogs. I’ll bring you back here for your car later,” Will says, focusing on the road. He adds, quietly, “I don’t want to be alone.”</p><p>Hannibal takes a risk and reaches out to put a hand on Will’s knee. “I won’t leave you alone, Will.”</p><p>Will glances down at the hand and back at the road, but doesn’t protest the touch so Hannibal keeps his hand where it is.</p><p>“What did you wish to discuss?” Hannibal asks.</p><p>Will shakes his head, “When we get to my house. I need time to think.”</p><p>Hannibal nods and neither man says another word for the rest of the drive to Wolf Trap. </p><p>Will pulls up in front of his farm house and shuts off the car. He doesn’t wait for Hannibal to follow before he’s out of the car and he’s opening up his front door to let the dogs run free. Hannibal gets out and several of the dogs run up to him, sniffing to see if he has treats for them. He laughs and holds his palms open to the sniffing noses to show there’s nothing for them there. The pack grows bored of Hannibal and they run off to do their business. </p><p>Hannibal walks up to Will’s open front door, Will having already disappeared into the house to check if the dogs have left any messes anywhere. Hannibal wanders into Will’s kitchen and takes a seat at the table. When he finishes his survey of the house, Will meets Hannibal in the kitchen and starts filling the dogs’ bowls with their food in silence. </p><p>Will doesn’t speak until the dogs are back inside, eating from their bowls. He sits across the table from Hannibal.</p><p>“Tobias said something interesting to me when he attacked me.”</p><p>Hannibal’s breathing stills and he looks at Will, who is looking anywhere but at the man in front of him. </p><p>“What was it?” Hannibal asks quietly.</p><p>“He said he was the person at your house last night. That there’s more to you than you’re telling me. That you and him are a lot more similar than I know. He said I should ask you about the bus yard,” Will’s looking down at his hands. He takes a deep breath. “That got me thinking while I waited for ERT and Jack to show up at the shop, Doctor Lecter.”</p><p>Hannibal shifts in his seat at the formal name. “Go on, Will.”</p><p>“I realized you fit the Ripper’s profile to a T. But you already knew that, didn’t you?” Will looks into Hannibal’s eyes now. Hannibal can see the betrayal written across his face. He wants to reach out and grab one of Will’s hands. He feels the need to find a knife, his mind screaming at him about self-preservation. He can’t do either. </p><p>Instead, Hannibal nods slowly. </p><p>“It’s very impressive actually. How no one else sees any of this,” Will speaks slowly, as if he’s carefully choosing each word. “I should go to Jack about my suspicions. I should’ve said something right when he arrived on the scene.”</p><p>“And why don’t you?” Hannibal asks.</p><p>“Because I want to be wrong,” Will’s looking down into his hands now. </p><p>“And if you are not wrong? If I were to confess to you right now, would you turn me in? Deny me my freedom? Deny yourself of the connection we’ve forged?”</p><p>Will shakes his head. “No, Hannibal. I don’t think I would.”</p><p>Hannibal smiles at the use of his first name. “Why not? You’ve been trying to catch the Chesapeake Ripper for some time now. Jack Crawford won’t rest until he is behind bars. If he were to present himself to you, after everything he has done, and would continue to do, don’t you think you have to lock him up? Don’t you want to save lives, Will?”</p><p>“I have denied myself of good things my entire life. I have my house, and I have my dogs, and my boat, but I’m not often able to make connections with people, or keep them for long. You’re different. You understand me. You see me. I think I can finally see you, too.”</p><p>Hannibal reaches across the table and picks up Will’s hand in his own. “You would overlook the chance that I may be the killer you’re searching for, just for your own selfish reasons?”</p><p>“Yeah. I would.” </p><p>“How would it make you feel to know that I spared Franklyn today? Only so we’d have an excuse to keep pretending. For my own selfish reasons. I knew Tobias wished to kill him, and I could’ve killed him myself and said it was Tobias.” Hannibal is putting everything out in the open. If Will is lying, and wants to turn him in, he’d go quietly. If only so Will knew exactly where to find him. It’s not as if he wouldn’t be able to escape any cell he was put in. “I enjoy your company immensely.”</p><p>“It’s weird, really. You didn’t deny it, and that’s as good as telling me who you are and what you’ve done, but I’m not scared of you. I don’t hate you. I know I should, but I don’t. What does that say about me?” Will laughs quietly. </p><p>“For all we know, you may change your mind and try to kill me tomorrow,” Hannibal smiles.</p><p>“And what if I did?”</p><p>“I’d let you.”</p><p>“I don’t think I could do it,” Will whispers, looking down at their hands. “Does this all make me a bad person?”</p><p>“Sometimes we hate what our love makes us do, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t love.”</p><p>“Is that what this is? Love?” Will asks. He looks up into Hannibal’s eyes when he says it.</p><p>Hannibal doesn’t answer the question, but instead goes about his own way of explaining himself. “You realized who I am before Tobias said a word to you, didn’t you? When?”</p><p>“I have very good empathic abilities, Hannibal. Did you really think I wouldn’t recognize the Ripper’s emotions in that scene when it’s all I feel coming from you every time you touch me? It was also quite odd when I told you how I wish killers would take turns, and then the Ripper waited to kill again until after Silvestri was caught.”</p><p>“You’re magnificent, Will,” Hannibal stands up and walks over to stand next to Will’s chair, and pulls the other man up to his feet. He puts a hand on Will’s cheek, and Will leans into his touch, closing his eyes. Hannibal is glad Will isn’t shying away from the monster in front of him. It’s a huge relief. “You’re very warm, Will. I think I need to schedule that appointment with the neurologist sooner rather than later.”</p><p>Will nods against Hannibal’s hand. “When you called me this morning, I hadn’t stepped outside to take the call. I was outside because I heard an animal get hit by a car. Well, I thought I did. I didn’t, really. In the time I was outside checking, and talking to you is when Tobias killed those officers.”</p><p>“You sounded troubled on the phone with me,” Hannibal says. “You've been having these auditory hallucinations quite often.”</p><p>Hannibal rubs a thumb across Will’s cheekbone and Will sighs. He opens his eyes and looks at Hannibal. </p><p>“You know how I feel about you, Will. To answer your question, yes. From me, it’s love, but I don’t know if it is from you as well,” Hannibal whispers. </p><p>Will leans forward and presses his forehead to Hannibal’s, their noses bump together, and their lips are just centimeters apart. Hannibal doesn’t move. Will brings a hand to Hannibal’s face, and closes the distance between their lips. The kiss is soft, and sweet, and when Will pulls away, he’s grinning ear to ear.</p><p>“Yes, I think it is. I think it has been for a while now, ” Will whispers.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>OK so. Yeah. I'm going to write maybe one more chapter for this story, and then write a second part. Because Hannibal of course still wants to see Will's becoming and needs a new plan. Because I said so. That'll all gonna come up in Part 2. The last chapter will be out in mayyyyybe 2 or 3 days.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hannibal’s heart warms and he smiles back at Will. He leans forward and presses his lips to Will’s forehead, before stepping away. “As much as I’d like to continue kissing you, I need to cancel my appointments for the next few days, I think. And call Franklyn to see how he’s handling his loss. It was a very traumatic experience for him, I’m sure,” Hannibal says. “I would also like to change out of these bloody clothes, and call my friend, the neurologist for you. Sadly, my appointment book is still at my office, and Dr. Suttcliff’s card is at my home.”</p><p>“I, uh, I can drive you back to your car,” Will says. “Let me just put the dogs out again.” </p><p>“Will, if you’d… like to spend the night, I’d enjoy that. I hope it’s not being presumptuous to say you slept better with me last night, and after the events of today, I wouldn’t want to leave you alone to your nightmares,” Hannibal smiles.</p><p>Will swallows loudly, and nods. “Yeah just let me get a change of clothes, and call my neighbor to check on the dogs later.”</p><p>“Very well. I’ll wait in the car.” Hannibal reaches to Will and lifts up his chin, kissing him quickly, and turning to walk out the door.</p><p>Once in the car, usually calm, cool, and collected, Hannibal lets out a shaky breath, and rubs his hands over his face, wincing at the sting of his forgotten cuts. He had not expected Will to react positively after finding out who he is, nor did he expect Will to confront him about it so soon. Hannibal can’t help but worry that Will is going to change his mind once the encephalitis clears and his brain is no longer on fire. That he’ll decide Hannibal’s a monster that needs to be put away. After so long thinking he could never have Will in this way, now that he has him, it feels too good to be true. Hannibal calms his breathing, and removes his hands from his face when he hears Will’s voice calling the dogs back inside. There’s a bag over his shoulder, and he’s changed into a different coat that doesn’t have blood on it from Tobias’s attack. </p><p>Once the dogs are inside, Will locks his door and hesitates before turning around to face the car. Hannibal wonders if Will’s having second thoughts, but before Hannibal can worry about it, Will’s turning and smiling at Hannibal, and walking towards the car. Will puts his bag in the backseat, and then climbs into the driver’s seat.</p><p>On the way back to Baltimore, Hannibal tells Will about his conversation with Alana from that morning. How she was upset, and jealous.</p><p>“She has no right to be jealous. She was going to reject me, I could feel her hesitance,” Will scoffs. </p><p>“Yes, well. Alana seemed to only realize she actually wanted you when she found out you were unavailable.”</p><p>Will huffs in response. Then, “I think we still shouldn’t tell Jack anything.”</p><p>“May I ask why?”</p><p>“I don’t know. I just don’t want it to be a big deal. If Jack knows, then Beverly will find out, and then Zeller and Price, and then somehow Freddie Lounds will find out. She thinks I’m crazy, we don’t need her knowing that you actually are,” Will jokes.</p><p>“I’m not crazy, Will,” Hannibal glares at him. </p><p>Will smiles, looking at the road, and ignoring Hannibal’s eyes digging into his skull. </p><p>“Can I ask you something?” Will asks.</p><p>“Anything.”</p><p>“That body the night of your party. Did you do that?” Will doesn’t take his eyes off the road.</p><p>“Are you asking if I killed someone in a perfect recreation of another serial killer’s work, only so Jack Crawford would be called into the scene, and then call Alana Bloom to consult on the case just so I’d have a reason to be able to touch you all night?” Hannibal asks, a smile forming on his face. Will’s hands are clenching the steering wheel, knuckles white. Hannibal’s unsure if Will’s aware of it, and he reaches out and puts a hand on Will’s knee, a calming gesture. Will’s grip relaxes, and Hannibal continues, “Because if I were to admit to doing that, I would also have to admit that I gave Jack and Alana a later arrival time than you and the other guests, so you’d already be at my house by the time Jack was called to the scene.” </p><p>“Do you really think I’d turn you in? You don’t need to pretend to talk around a confession. I just want to know,” Will says sincerely. </p><p>“I know, Will. Forgive me for being cautious. It’s part of who I am, and it’s not likely to change any time soon,” Hannibal tells him. “That doesn’t mean I don’t trust you. Even if you did turn me in, which I would hope you don’t, but if you did I would go willingly. Anything you want, I’d let you have.”</p><p>Will drops his right hand from the steering wheel, and puts it on top of the hand resting on his knee. Hannibal turns his palm to face upwards so they can lace their fingers together. </p><p>“I want to know you,” Will whispers. Hannibal barely hears him over the sounds of the car.</p><p>“You will,” Hannibal whispers back. </p><p>The rest of the drive back to Hannibal’s office is in a comfortable silence. When they arrive, the crime scene cleanup crew is still there. Hannibal wonders how long it could possibly take to clear a scene, as it’s been several hours, but he doesn’t let his annoyance show to Will.</p><p>“I’ll go in and get it. You sit out here and pretend to be traumatized,” Will says, unbuckling his seat belt and sliding out of the car. Hannibal gets out and walks to his own car, unlocking it and getting in the driver’s seat. No use leaving it here if he doesn’t plan on coming back to the office for a few days, and he doesn’t want to make WIll cart him around. </p><p>The door into the building opens, and Hannibal looks up, expecting to see Will, but when Jack Crawford steps out instead, he tries to hide the disappointment. Jack looks at Will’s car and sees it’s empty, and he turns his head and sees Hannibal in his own. Jack is moving towards Hannibal’s car, and Hannibal puts on his best face of remorse. Hannibal puts his forehead down on the steering wheel to act as though he’s drained, and pretends he didn’t see Jack, only looking up when a knock on his window alerts him. </p><p>Hannibal looks up, and opens the door.</p><p>“Will told me you came back to get a few things, and that he’s going to be staying with you for a few days. You’re lucky to have a friend like him.” Jack says. Hannibal is surprised by Jack’s words. Will hadn’t said anything about a few days, just the night. He doesn’t let Jack see his happiness at the thought.</p><p>Hannibal nods, “Yes. He said he wants to be there for me like I was there for him after Garret Jacob Hobbs. I’m grateful for his friendship,” Hannibal says. He tries his best to sound melancholic, as if he was unhappy with the circumstances that made this necessary. Hannibal feels no real regret about what he did to Tobias, or about calling the Hobbs’ residence, which caused Will to kill the man. </p><p>“Take care, Hannibal,” Jack turns to walk away.</p><p>Hannibal sees Will walking back out of the building, appointment book in hand.</p><p>“Hey Jack?”</p><p>Jack turns back and looks at Hannibal.</p><p>“I’ve suggested Will see a neurologist. I believe there’s something physically ailing him. As a doctor, I recommend he take some time off from any sort of field work,” Hannibal tells him quietly, so Will doesn’t hear. “He won’t accept if you tell him to take time off, but I would advise not calling him if you can avoid it.”</p><p>Jack looks at Hannibal for a second, as if he’s going to refuse to give Will any time off, but Hannibal’s words were firm, and his face gives no sign he’ll allow no for an answer. Finally Jack nods. “Okay, Doctor Lecter. I’ll see you.”</p><p>Jack walks away from Hannibal’s car, and passes Will. The two exchange a few words that Hannibal can’t make out, and Jack claps him on the shoulder before heading back into the building. </p><p>“Here’s your appointment book,” Will says, handing Hannibal the notebook through the open car door. Their fingers brush together as Hannibal takes it, and the both look down at their hands. A blush grows on Will’s cheeks, but Hannibal pretends not to notice it. “I’m cooking you dinner tonight, I’ve decided. Go home, and call your patients. I’m going to the grocery store. I’ll meet you at your house when I’m done.”</p><p>Hannibal nods. “Okay, if you insist, but you know how much I enjoy cooking for you.”</p><p>“Not tonight. I’m not much of a cook, but I can make a few things,” Will shrugs. He glances over his shoulder before leaning down and pressing a chaste kiss to Hannibal’s lips. “I’ll see you soon.”</p><p>Will walks away, back to his car, and Hannibal shuts his door, turning on the engine and driving home. </p><p>He calls his patients to cancel first, deciding on taking off the next week, and offering alternative resources if they need them. Then he calls Doctor Sutcliff to arrange an appointment for Will, telling the doctor he is just concerned as his psychiatrist, and giving no indication of their real relationship. Sutcliff, after being reminded that he owes Hannibal a few favors, is more than accommodating and schedules an appointment for two days from then. Hannibal leaves calling Franklyn for last, not sure exactly what to say to him, but also just not wanting to deal with him. Franklyn’s unnecessary now that Hannibal has Will for real now, and Hannibal almost wishes he would’ve just killed him and hoped for the best. He considers just not calling and offering support, just to see what Franklyn does, but finally, he decides against that.</p><p>Franklyn answers after one ring, “H-hello?” He stutters.</p><p>“Franklyn, it’s Doctor Lecter. I wanted to call you to see how you are handling everything that happened today,” Hannibal says into the phone. He hopes this conversation doesn’t take long, but knowing Franklyn, he will probably talk for an hour. </p><p>“I- I’m okay. I just can’t believe T-Tobias is gone,” Franklyn sniffles. Hannibal hates when his patients cry, and Franklyn’s always doing it. He’s silently grateful that he doesn’t have to watch it this time.</p><p>Hannibal decides to be blunt, “Franklyn, Tobias was not your friend. He wanted to kill you. There are many other people out there that will not see you as prey. You just have to find an equal that sees you as you.”</p><p>“You see me as me.” </p><p>“I am not your friend either, Franklyn. I know you need a friend right now, but I can only offer you support as a psychiatrist right now.” Before Franklyn can respond, Hannibal adds, “While we’re on the topic, I am cancelling all appointments for the next week, which means we will be missing our next appointment. Both of us have dealt with traumatic experiences today, and I’m unsure if I will be able to help you through them. I would like to give you a referral. And before you object, I really do believe this would be best for your progress after the events of today. I will be making a few calls to my colleagues to see if anyone is taking on new patients, and I will call you back as soon as I find out.”</p><p>“You’re dumping me as a patient? <em> You </em>were a referral! I can’t believe this,” Franklyn is yelling into the phone.</p><p>Hannibal holds his phone away from his ear until Franklyn stops his outburst, and then says, “It’s for the best Franklyn. I must go now. I’ll call you as soon as I have someone for you. This is non-negotiable.”</p><p>“Goodbye, Doctor Lecter.” </p><p>Hannibal hangs up and makes a mental note to call around later to see if anyone can take Franklyn, but it’s not his top priority. Hannibal considers going upstairs to shower, but decides not to because Will could be arriving at any moment, and he’d hate to not greet him at the door. </p><p>Hannibal checks the watch on his wrist several times over the next forty-five minutes, wondering how long it could possibly take Will to get groceries for dinner. It took him nearly an hour to talk to all of his patients, another twenty minutes on the phone with Sutcliff and Franklyn, and now another forty-five minutes after all of that. He can’t help but think that Will’s changed his mind and went home, but while he’s entertaining those thoughts, the sound of his doorbell rings through his house. </p><p>Hannibal jumps up from where he’s sat at his desk in his study, and goes to the door. He opens it to see Will, carrying all of his grocery bags, as well as his overnight bag. His heart warms at the sight of the other man struggling to hold everything. Hannibal is amazed he even managed to ring the doorbell. </p><p>“I would have helped you bring everything in, Will.”</p><p>“Help me now, then,” Will says, handing several grocery bags off to Hannibal and pushing his way past the man to bring everything else to the kitchen. “Why haven’t you changed your clothes yet?” </p><p>“I was waiting to shower and change until after you got here so I’d be able to hear you arrive,” Hannibal says, following Will into the kitchen. “You took longer than I expected.”</p><p>“Sorry about that.”</p><p>“It’s alright. You’re here now.”</p><p>“Go shower. I’m starting dinner. It won’t take long to prepare, and then it’ll go in the oven for a bit, so I’ll come upstairs when I’m done in here,” Will takes the bags from Hannibal, and slaps Hannibal’s hand when he tries to peek in to see the ingredients. “It’s a surprise.”</p><p>Hannibal frowns, and steps forward after Will sets down the rest of the bags. He wraps an arm around Will’s waist and pulls him in for a kiss, but Will’s hands are pushing on Hannibal’s chest in protest, and Hannibal pulls back, his disappointment evident on his face.</p><p>“Go shower. Let me make dinner. It’s already getting late,” Will says. Hannibal worries he’s done something wrong, or that Will is shying away from intimacy now that it’s actually real. He just nods and sulks up the stairs to his bedroom. </p><p>Hannibal throws his dirty clothes into a laundry basket, but he’ll probably just end up incinerating them when he gets a chance. He steps into the shower, and scrubs away at the dried blood still on his neck, then washes it out of his hair. He hadn’t realized how much Tobias bled on him, and as he’s washing the blood away, Hannibal decides it’s no wonder Will didn’t want to kiss him again until he was clean. He was worried for no reason. </p><p>He doesn’t take long in the shower, and he’s nearly giddy about Will’s promise to come upstairs once he’s done in the kitchen. Hannibal shakes his head and laughs quietly to himself. He still can’t believe he’s reacting this way to another person, to the idea of love from Will. Will has changed him in ways he never thought possible, and in such a short time, too.</p><p>He dries his hair, and wraps the towel around his waist. Hannibal opens the door to the bathroom to see Will’s waiting for him, sitting on the bed. Will stalks forward and pushes Hannibal up against the nearest wall, leaning forward and crashing their lips together aggressively. This kiss has none of the soft and sweet of their first kiss in Will’s kitchen. </p><p>Will grinds his hips against Hannibal’s and the older man gasps in surprise. In his distracted state, it takes Hannibal a moment to realize the cold blade pressing against his throat. Will has one arm barred across Hannibal’s chest, the other hand holding a knife to his neck. Will’s no longer kissing Hannibal, and Hannibal tenses at the change in mood. He inhales and realizes there’s nothing cooking in the kitchen. It dawns on Hannibal that Will was never actually planning on cooking, and that he’s been waiting up here since Hannibal shut the bathroom door. A trick to get Hannibal at his most vulnerable.</p><p>Hannibal has to laugh. “You’re not a killer, Will.”</p><p>“Aren’t I? I know you want me to be,” Will growls. The blade isn’t cutting him yet, but Hannibal knows it’s close. He holds as still as he possibly can. </p><p>“How do you figure that?”</p><p>“When I was in your office I found your notes on me and I read them while I was gone. I know you called Garret Jacob Hobbs so I’d have an excuse to kill him. I know you’ve been letting my brain cook in my skull for as long as we've known each other in the hopes I’ll go crazy.” </p><p>“Will, please believe me when I tell you that I do not want for you to go crazy anymore. I want you to embrace your true nature, but not like that. I want to help you, not to hurt you anymore. We can be equals.” Hannibal says, quietly. He could easily push Will off of him, overpower him, even kill him if he wanted to. He doesn’t want to. “Please put the knife down. We can talk about this. If you don’t want to be with me, I understand. If you wish to turn me in, I already told you I’d go happily. It won’t feel good to kill me, Will.”</p><p>“Oh I think it would. You’re a monster, Hannibal.”</p><p>“Do you want to kill me because I’m a monster, or is it because you’re scared of loving someone like me?” Hannibal looks into Will’s eyes, and slowly brings a hand up to grip the wrist of the hand holding the knife. Hannibal holds Will firmly, and uses his other hand to disarm him and toss the knife across the room. </p><p>Will seems to snap out of the anger that had overtaken him. His arm restraining Hannibal falls, and he drops his head to Hannibal’s chest. He lets out a shaky breath, and puts his arms around Hannibal’s waist. He’s shaking, and Hannibal realizes the man clinging to him is crying. He envelopes Will in his arms, rubbing his back with one hand, and they stand there like that for a few minutes until Will calms down. </p><p>“Will, if you need time to decide what you want from me, I will allow you as much time as you need.”</p><p>Will shakes his head against Hannibal’s chest. “Earlier you said we shouldn’t not love just because we hate what love makes us do. I can't keep denying myself of this, just because it feels wrong, Hannibal.” </p><p>Hannibal grins and hugs Will tighter. He still has reservations about Will’s loyalty for him, with the man switching back and forth so fast, but he decides it’ll keep things more interesting. That’s good enough for now.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that's the end of this story, but give me a few days and I'll get Part 2 started. Thank you all for reading, and remember to leave comments and kudos. I read every comment, and even if I don't respond, I am grateful for every single one. Also this is my first finished chaptered fic!</p><p> </p><p>Edit: Go read the rest of the series!</p>
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